Feltopia

Operating with the erratic physical energy of a caffeine-addled muppet, Heath McIvor’s purple creation decides he is the only reasonable choice to run for President of the United States. The joke, of course, is that Randy Feltface is Australian, but he quickly clarifies that several of his parts were manufactured in the U.S., making him legally eligible enough for the modern political landscape.

Filmed at the Palais Theatre in Melbourne in August 2023 and released on YouTube in early 2024, the hour finds Randy at a high-water mark of his international touring career. He spends the set weaving a chaotic personal history that includes getting stung on the testicles by a bee on public transit and accidentally running over his girlfriend’s emotional support guinea pig. The storytelling has a frantic pace, punctuated by Randy’s signature desk-slapping physical comedy and rapid-fire crowd work.

By the time he launches into a listing of the whimsical traits of his ex-girlfriend Phoebe, the show settles into a satisfying groove of high-tempo absurdity. Directed by Natalie van den Dungen, the production showcases how easily McIvor commands a massive room, keeping the crowd engaged with an aggressive pacing that masks how much work it takes to make a puppet feel alive.