The Puppet Slam Network supports and connects puppet slams — short-form cabaret nights where puppeteers perform brief pieces in front of a live audience.
What a slam actually is
An evening of five to ten short acts, usually a few minutes each, hosted at a bar, theatre or arts venue. Anyone can submit. There is no expectation of a finished production — the format exists specifically for trying things.
Why it is the realistic entry point
Almost nobody’s first public performance is a full show. A slam lets you develop five minutes, put it in front of strangers, find out what works, and do it again next month. That feedback loop is how performers actually improve, and it does not exist if you are only ever filming alone in a garage.
Most slams are 18+
They are typically evening events in bars, and the material tends toward adult humour and adult subject matter. That is worth stating plainly rather than discovering on arrival with a family act. It also means the audience is there for puppetry as an art form rather than as children’s entertainment, which is part of the appeal for many performers.
The Network’s role
is connective — listing slams around the country, supporting organisers with small grants, and giving a scattered set of local events something to belong to.
If there isn’t one near you,
starting one is a genuinely achievable project. A venue, a host, a handful of performers and a night nobody else wants is the whole requirement.
The practical advice
is to attend one before submitting. Slam audiences have their own rhythm, and five minutes is shorter than it sounds.