Once upon a time, when he was beginning his career as a ventriloquist, David Strassman used to pack his clothes in one suitcase and his characters in another.
Now he requires a six-tonne truck when he tours.
As his reputation and repertoire have grown, so too have the theatrical complexities. Still, you get the feeling the American comedian wouldn't have it any other way.
''There are a thousand ventriloquists out there who stand on stage with totally stupid puppets who tell stupid jokes.
"I wanted to bring elements of theatre to my show,'' Strassman explains via phone from his Californian home, a few weeks out from a New Zealand tour that includes shows in Dunedin, Invercargill and Waimate at the end of the month.
''It is a full theatrical production. There are robotics, lighting, music ... I normally have a massive set behind me and this one requires three massive screens on to which things are projected.
''This show would have to be my most refined work to date. I've been doing it three and a-half years now, so it is slick.''
The show to which he is referring, Careful What You Wish For, plays with the concept of alternate realities, of parallel universes. Given Strassman injects soul into otherwise inanimate objects, it's situation normal, really.
Inspired by the 2010 movie Inception, he wanted to explore the idea of multiple dimensions.
''Therefore, with projection, we can now place ourselves anywhere our imaginations take us. We find out Chuck wants to take over my brain when he finds out that one day I'll die, which means he will die, too.''
Strassman is referring to his Chuck Wood, the sharp-tongued, sarcastic sidekick with whom he rose to prominence in the 1990s via various television appearances and live shows.
Later, with the addition of the slightly dim-witted Ted E. Bare, and other characters, he has channelled various aspects of amateur psychology.
For his latest show, however, he's gone a bit darker.
''Chuck thinks if he can get all the other puppets to take over my brain, this eventuality might not occur. And when I find this out, I get angry and wish these puppets didn't exist,'' Strassman explains.
''Through the magic of theatre, I travel through a wormhole into an alternate universe populated by the twisted counterparts of my puppets. Each doppelganger has a clue that provides a way for me to get back to the original universe.
''It gave me the opportunity to create five new characters, including a version of Ted who smokes cigars and head-butts me, and Grandpa Fred, who has a sex change and turns into Grandpa Freda ...
''These characters grow with every show. They have matured over the years. Importantly, they have grown in scope; they are multidimensional.''
In one of his older skits, ''If newspapers could talk'', Strassman delves into the subject of humankind grappling with technological advances. It's fitting, given he employs electronic wizardry while working in the relatively old-school world of ventriloquism.
Strassman, who lives in Los Angeles with his 9-year-old son, started his career as a street performer in New York City. Despite not completing drama school, he gained some valuable lessons.
''I learned how to speak properly in drama classes and that has saved me. Because I speak properly, I'm able to effectively project voices as well as quickly change voices.
''I probably smoked for half my career. It didn't affect my voice. But I don't smoke or drink anymore.''
Inspired by his model aeroplane hobby, Strassman introduced robotics (or ''puppetronics'') into his fledgling act in 1986, creating machinery that brought Chuck to life when the ventriloquist exited the stage.
''There are ventriloquists who are better than me but, for me, the ability to operate these puppets and make them seem completely separate characters is all-important.
''I've been doing this so long, I almost don't even think about how I'm doing it.''
See him, hear him
David Strassman performs Careful What You Wish For at the following venues.
Civic Theatre, Invercargill, Tuesday, November 26
Regent Theatre, Dunedin, Wednesday, November 27
Regent Theatre, Waimate, Thursday, November 28
