Funnily enough, when Avenue Q first hit the West End in 2006, I had absolutely no desire to see this Tony Award winning musical. “A musical featuring puppets?!” I thought at the time “fuzz off, I’d sooner watch paint dry!” Oh how very wrong was I.....flash forward to 2011 & I’m handed tickets to New Wimbledon Theatre, dragged along by a companion who had previously seen and raved about the show. I held my breath as the cheesy theme tune song started...a typical sing-song child’s TV programme style started, complete with drop0down TV screens featuring the cartoon style opening credits but soon found myself left eating my own words and in absolute stitches with laughter.
The musical is a parody of PBS’ educational show Sesame Street, set in outer-outer New York on the rundown street named Avenue Q (house prices decrease in cost alphabetically by Avenue name), where we meet Princeton (a puppet - this story features a mix of puppet characters - who’s puppeteers are clearly visible, to puppet monster characters and human characters), a fresh-out-of-college guy searching for his first post-graduation apartment. Having started his search on Avenue A, he reaches the rusty old buildings of Avenue Q where he finally finds an apartment to rent within his budget.
Superintendent Gary Coleman, a once famous child actor but now working every hour just to survive, welcomes Princeton to Avenue Q, where Princeton finally starts his journey into adulthood whilst trying to secure a job (“If you rearrange the letters in ‘unemployed’ it spells ‘opportunity’ “ Gary tells Princeton) following his recently achieved BA in English, whilst also trying to find his purpose in life.
Princeton soon settles in and meets his quirky and somewhat eccentric neighbours - there’s Christmas Eve, (human character) who hails from Japan and is a failing Therapist, (despite having two Masters Degrees), her layabout deadbeat fiancé Brian (also a human character), roommates Nicky (a puppet character) - a bit of a slacker with little direction in life and Rod, (puppet), a Republican Investment Banker who is hiding a secret, (Rod and Nicky are a parody of Sesame Street characters Bert & Ernie). There’s also the reclusive Trekkie Monster - a parody of Sesame Streets Cookie Monster - (listen for the voice which is based on his voice also) - a “pervert” as Christmas Eve says when introducing Princeton to the residents - with an obsession for browsing the Internet; the sweet, charming monster-next-door, Kate Monster (puppet) - a kindergarten Teaching Assistant who dreams of opening her own school exclusively for monsters (which Princeton tells her “is a little bit racist”, despite the fact that he’s already quite smitten with her).
Whilst the colourful puppets on the posters may lead you to believe that this is a child friendly show, it is far from it! With explicit lyrics throughout and some naked puppet steamy bedroom scenes, Avenue Q is a laugh-out-loud reminder that all the positive things about life that classic shows such as Sesame Street and The Muppets tried to make us believe that we could be anything that we want to be, isn’t always true sadly.
Set against a simple yet effective stage set comprising of run down apartments, featuring drop down windows giving us a view into each apartment - from the classic three flying ducks on Kate Monsters wall to the garbage bag filled room of Nicky as Rod finally reaches breaking point and shows him the door out, every little details is thought of making each apartment seem realistic.
This along with the wonderful puppeteers who really bring each character to life - so much so you barely notice the person (or sometimes two people operating one puppet in perfect sync), makes Avenue Q an utter side-splitting laughter-inducing show packed with surprises and some shocking scenes.
Each puppeteer really brings their character to life, giving them their own personality - a real standout for me was Cecily Redman, as both Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut, possibly because of the total contrast in the two characters - at parts Redman discreetly handed one puppet to a fellow puppeteer in order to switch between the two characters, switching from the softly spoken sweet and innocent Kate with her softly to the sultry voice and persona of Lucy the Slut. Vocally she wowed the audience in such numbers as “There’s a Fine, Fine Line”. Saori Oda as Christmas Eve gave a standout performance with her overly quirky ways, exaggerated Japanese accent and her slick switch from sympathetic therapist to karate kicking her fiancé into order. I particularly enjoyed her wedding scene to Brian - the totally outrageous wedding dress was like something from, “My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding”.
Tom Steedon and Megan Armstrong most certainly had the most challenging roles - each taking on three parts - Tom as Nicky, one half of Trekkie Monster, and as a Bad Idea Bear and Megan as Mrs T, a Bad Idea Bear and as a second arm to other puppets. Steedon was most definitely the most perverted of Trekkie Monsters I’ve seen on previous tours, really showing just how much of a sleaze Trekkie is during a particular song about the Internet. Lawrence Smith as Rod and Princeton however was the ultimate highlight for me; other than being on stage pretty much of the entire show, he flawlessly belted out songs from “What Do You Do? (With a BA in English) (Princeton) “My Girlfriend, Who Lives in Canada”.
There’s not one bad point to this show other than it doesn’t tour often enough and when it does you’ve to really grab your finger and double click super quick to secure tickets! Playing at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre until 30th March, and returning to Yorkshire in July at Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre.
Reviewer - Lottie Davis-Browne
on - 26/3/19
No comments:
Post a Comment