Alberta-born Ronnie Burkett's newest show, Penny Plain, marks the 25th anniversary of the Theatre of Marionettes. After a change of direction to a brighter show that featured Burkett front and centre in Billy Twinkle, Penny Plain returns to what brought Burkett to the dance, so to speak. A dark, post-apocalyptic tale sees Burkett high above the stage with his longest strings ever, allowing the audience to again fully immerse themselves in his little world.

Penny Plain is set in a boarding house owned by Penny, who is blind. It is the last three days of human beings existance on the planet and the world outside the house is falling apart. It opens with Plain and her dog Geoffrey, who speaks, sitting in chairs. Geoffrey advises Penny that he is leaving to go out in the world.

The shows characters – from a primping poodle to American survivalists, a serial killer to an aging puppet maker, are vibrant and filled with life. It is truly remarkable to watch them move. A word of advice is to try and secure seats close to the stage, as the detail on the marionettes is spectacular. One thing that always blows me away is how much effort goes into the puppets – despite being clothed they still have nipples and ribs underneath, which will never be seen. We watched from the boxes and enjoyed it, but when we were able to take a closer look at them that we really grasped the intricate details.

As is Burkett's style, the show is hysterically funny while having a powerful message about the world. At a post-show Q&A session, one audience member commented that the show was "bleak" and asked what influenced that, and Burkett replied that it reflected the state of the world.

September's True Love Lies I stated was the first "must see" show of the season. Penny Plain is without a doubt the second. Heartbreaking, funny, powerful, the show defines all the things that have made Ronnie Burkett one of Canada's best performing artists.