outrageous is the only way to describe Jimmy Willing's Von Tramp Family Puppet Show. Ring mastered by Satan the Devil with a twisted live sound track it will leave you wondering just who is pulling the strings?The show was originally performed from his horse-drawn gypsy cart, Meander Von Tramp. Jimmy crisscrossed the Far North Coast of NSW countryside, living under the stars and around campfires. It was a romantic lifestyle that involved long hours of travelling with the horses from one town to another. It was at this time that Jimmy learnt to shoe and break in horses.

On the road Jimmy made many friends and earned himself the title of 'The Puppet Man'. In between shows and travelling Willing carved marionettes and the side panels of his Silky Oak cart. Jimmy and his little herd of horses would often be seen winding down the road on the way to the next show.

Right from the word go The Von Tramp Family Puppets caused outrage and consternation. The Devil claimed he was fading away and in a last ditch effort to manifest himself on planet earth he was channelling his energy all the way from Hell through a crazed psychotic puppeteer. Needless to say the show often fell foul with fundamentalist Christians. Once he was even exorcised (luckily it didn't work).

Starting out playing country fairs and markets, bush halls, agricultural shows and rodeos the show's reputation soon earned itself a place on the bill of some of Australia's biggest music and arts festivals (Glenworth Valley, Woodford Folk Festival, The Byron Music & Arts Festival and more). The boys from Ragadoll would often meet up with Jimmy along the road supplying sound effects and helping the devil torture the audience with country and western music.

In 1995 Jimmy's puppets and gypsy lifestyle were the subject of a T.V. documentary, The Ferals by Channel Nine's 60 Minutes programme. This snapshot of the controversial 'feral' phenomenon drew comment from all walks of life including the then prime minister, Paul Keating.

At the end of the Nineties Jimmy put his herd of horses out to pasture on a remote farm in the Murray Scrub. He began building an art studio out of recycled materials from demolished churches, lumber mills and houses. In true Willing form, the studio is an elaborate and intricate piece of art. He calls his architectural style, 'Bush Gothic'.

In the Naughties The Von Tramp Family was to ride again but no longer horse drawn. This time joining forces with Czech puppeteer Lenka Muchova, the show became a cornerstone in Willing's new venture "Hell Is A Cabaret".