Puppet Dictator
A gilded toy theatre with red velvet curtains: under a spotlight, a felt marionette general with an enormous hat, golden epaulettes and a chest of bottle-cap medals salutes, his strings rising to a wooden control bar held by a shadowy gloved hand.

The Strings Attached Theatre proudly presents

Puppet
Dictator

His Excellency Generalissimo Felt: hand-picked, strung along, and absolutely nobody's puppet. He stands on his own two feet. They are six inches off the ground.

Take the controls

You're pulling the strings now

Drag the wooden control bar (or focus the stage and use the arrow keys). Tilt it (Q and E on a keyboard) to raise an arm. Then let His Excellency address the nation.

Playbill · Tonight's government

The cabinet

His Excellency, Generalissimo Felt
Head of State, Head of Felt
Marion Ette
Minister of Strings
Sir Sockington
Secretary of State for Laundry (formerly a sock)
The Ventriloquist General
Speaks for the government. Lips do not move.
Admiral Stuffing
Chief of Defence, mostly cotton
Chief of Staff

Running time: indefinite. There will be no intermission. Audience members are reminded that applause is mandatory and is being counted backstage.

Backstage above a puppet theatre: a chaotic web of strings and wooden control bars hangs from the rafters while several gloved hands reach in from the shadows to tug different strings, and one small felt puppet dangles below looking confused.

Who pulls the strings?

We went backstage to find out who's really in charge. It's hands. Lots of hands. Each one is pulling a string attached to another control bar, which is attached to another hand, which is attached, we assume, to somebody.

We followed the strings all the way up. At the top was a small sign that said "Ask downstairs."

The lobby stand

Souvenirs of the regime. Tell us which you'd take home. Nothing is charged; this tells us what to make.

"No Strings Attached*" tee

"Hand-Picked" mug

Desk Dictator marionette kit

Backstage pass

Things you weren't supposed to see: 0 of 0

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