AFTER a decade of entertaining audiences with their "hanging art'' the self-proclaimed Lords of Genitalia, Puppetry of the Penis, are heading back to Dandenong.
David 'Friendy' Friend, who came across the concept after a few too many drinks, says the show is something everyone has to see at least once in their lives.
The show features the men creating interesting shapes, landmarks and foods using only their genitals.
``I was at uni for quite some time and just developed the art,'' David says.
"You know what it is like at uni. You have a few drinks and guys used to be dropping their pants all the time.
"So you'd start to collect some tricks and it just took off from there.
"Now we've got over 60 tricks - there's only so much you can do.''
David says he had planned on making a living using his brain as opposed to his genitals, but after completing a computing course things took a turn for the worse.
"I didn't get a job in the industry straight away, so I was behind the eight-ball.
"If you don't get one straight away then another group of graduates leave uni and then you have no chance. So I was kind of forced into it.''
The performances started among friends in football change-rooms, but word quickly spread.
"Our first real show was at the Corner Hotel during the Comedy Festival. We got small but decent crowds of about 50-100 people,'' he says.
Despite raving reviews the success still came as a shock to David.
"We couldn't even see too far ahead of ourselves at that stage.
"Every time we did a show we thought, this is the one when we will be shut down.''
But instead the show was adopted by the UK with the men appearing on comedy stages and television shows around the world.
"We sold out the shows there, and then we came back and really started becoming popular,'' David says.
Despite the personal exposure needed to perform such a show, it is the audience reaction that inspired them to continue.
"People are generally crying with laughter. That is what keeps us going.''
David says the content of the show is not sexualised or crude.
"It is one of those shows that is more innocent than what it seems.
"There is nothing wrong with it, it is all about fun, and no one gets hurt.''
But he admits that winter shows can be a little more challenging.
"We have to do a bit more of a warm-up in winter and just hope that the theatre will be warm.
"But we always say - the shows are always shorter in winter.''
Puppetry of the Penis: The Ancient Art of Genital Origami is on at 8pm, June 3, at the Drum Theatre, Lonsdale Street, Dandenong. Tickets: www.drumtheatre.com.au or 97716603.
For more information visit www.puppetryofthepenis.com.au
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