Brain Dead and Loving it!

Jim Henson at the Montreal Puppetry festival in 1986. (Photo by Eric Lavoie) Materializing from the shadowy corners of the small club, his lanky frame cutting through the cigarette smoke like a train slowly emerging from the station, a long-haired man sporting a greyish beard climbs the stairs leading to a modest stage. He puts down delicately a duffel bag carrying a precious cargo which has been a constant companion for close to 30 years. He reaches inside gingerly, and brings out a limp, bright green piece of fabric and felt which, in a quick turn of the wrist, becomes a lively and witty amphibian that has been a staple of many generations' youth. The eyes of the spectators glimmer with the nostalgic recognition of the puppet which has become by this point an extension of its 49 year old creator.  On June 2, 1986, the short-lived Montreal Puppetry Festival had invited legendary performer Jim Henson to chat with fans of the art form in a cabaret-style informal even...