Shrewsbury International Street Theatre Festival

Sword swallowing is thought by many to be a sideshow, gross-out type of act, but Thom Sellectomy is changing that.

Thom presents his art in a casual and very watchable comic style. "This isn't even a show . . . you're just hanging out with a guy who does weird stuff", is one of Thom's favourite asides.

This is not the "watch how dangerous this is" type of sword swallowing.

In this show Thom is the reluctant everyman who got "stuck" with the job.

The emphasis is on comedy and audience interaction.

Each show begins with a question and answer session allowing the audience to see him as a person before viewing the shocking feats that he performs. 

Then throughout the show Thom relates stories from past shows of mishaps and memorable hecklers.

Thom swallows swords,  runs a drill up his nose and more. He finishes the show by swallowing a 34-inch balloon, which is never to be seen again.

Old and young alike enjoy the show. Thom's favourite audience quote came from a "little old lady" at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. She said towards the end of the day, "I loved your show; I sat through it four times today. Enjoyed every time, but I didn't watch once." Thus proving, there is more to the show than just sword swallowing.