The tension is personified by Statler and Waldorf, the two elderly cynics perched permanently in the box seats. They are the ultimate subversion of showbiz vanity. By placing its own harshest critics directly into the text of the show, Jim Henson’s creation immunised itself against failure. Statler and Waldorf laugh at the bad jokes, groan at the technical mishaps, and declare the entire enterprise a disaster.
And in doing so, they free the audience to love the show precisely because it is a disaster.
