Possibly the greatest event in the history of ISDN - scratch that, THE ENTIRE WORLD - awaited a packed house at Big Screen on Sunday afternoon. Yes, it was a live Muppets link-up, with director James Bobin and, yes, cinematic icon Kermit the Frog talking **The Muppets **with Empire. There was thanks first to Kermit for making time in his busy schedule.“Anything for the Empire,” he replied graciously. “We’re all big fans of Her Majesty.” Erm, not that Empire, Kermit.
First things first: what corking capers would The Muppets take us on in their new movie? Bobin fielded the question, detailing Walter, Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary’s (Amy Adams) panicked quest to stop devious magnate Tex Richman razing the Muppet Theatre to the ground. “I let James take that because I can’t say ‘Tex Richman’,” explained Kermit. “I always mess it up.”
Expect camoes galore in The Muppets, although Bobin wouldn’t put an exact number to it. “It’s in the tens,” he revealed. “Pretty much everyone we asked said ‘yes’ but you’ll have to wait and see…”
Talk then moved on to the changes Kermit’s noticed in the movie business since the Muppets’ last cinematic outing, sci-fi actioner Muppets In Space, back in 1999. “There are more superheroes movies these days,” mused the one-time tadpole. “Not many people know this but I was actually up for the role of The Incredible Hulk.” Before we could chew over that awesome Muppet mutation, cheers engulfed his next observation: “There are a lot more 3D movies, but ours is only 2D.”
So was the project a big transition from Flight of The Conchords co-creator Bobin? “[They’re] surprisingly similar actually,” he said. “They all love singing.” He elaborated on the Muppets' influence on his career. “Your sense of humour is formed at a very early age and these guys kicked me off,” he enthused. “‘Kicked’ is the operative word,” interrupted Kermit. The Frog shared the love with his director: “We thought after Flight Of The Conchords that James was probably strange enough to work with us.”
Things then took a serious turn for the furry when Fozzie Bear appeared stage right for a Q&A cameo. Did we find out what attracted him to the project or his first impressions of the script? Nope. Fozzie was here to workshop some new material. “It’s an internet joke and you’re going to love it,” he enthused. “Why did the chicken cross the web?” Pause. “To get to the other site!”
Stony silence from Kermit. “They’re going to cut me out of the film now,” mumbled a chastened Fozzie. “Not to bludgeon the pun,” smiled his green co-star, “but sometimes he’s kind of un_bear_able.”
What else did we learn? That the Muppets do their own stunts in the movie (“We have to”, stressed Kermit, “because it’s hard to find spindly green stuntmen”); that Kermit thinks Scooter is the only Muppet on Twitter; and that the Queen is his favourite co-star. “I’ve worked with so many,” he eulogised, “but I have to say that I like working with Her Majesty the most. She’s a laugh riot.” He put his career longevity down to “good clean swamp living”.
He had flattering words for his newest co-star too: “Walter plays a typical Muppets fan. In the movies he’s Gary’s older brother – he just happens to be shorter – and he’s like us in many ways. He’s shaped a bit like us and he’s a pretty snappy dresser. He’s a member of the Screen Actors Guild.”
At this point, the Muppets’ own Greta Garbo, Miss Piggy, joined the Q&A to accept her knighthood – that Empire/Empire mix up was worse than we thought – but she happily settled from a Damehood instead, albeit one bestowed by a movie magazine with no obvious powers of investiture. Jim Henson would be proud.
So the big question: is Miss Piggy a bit of a diva. “Not every day,” said Kermit. Piggy herself was busy pondering her new life as a Dame. “My first act will be to enter the House of Lords,” she sighed happily. “What do they serve there?” Erm, it’s not a restaurant. “Well, what’s the point?” How’s that for a karateeee chop, ermined types?
After this magical experience we’ll never be able to say which Muppet is our favourite. We love them all. We’ll see them back together again on the big screen on February 10 next year.