All I could remember from when I saw Avenue Q many years ago in the West End was that I had laughed until I cried. So I jumped at the chance to see the production at Richmond Theatre last night – taking my 20-something son along to see if it still resonated with a younger audience. It certainly did.
It’s like Sesame Street and the Muppets for grown-ups. It’s unashamedly American but that’s just fine. The set is a run-down street with the bright lights of the New York skyline high in the background.
While there are puppets, the themes are risqué but made so much more palatable by being enshrined in some great musical numbers – racism (“Everyone’s a little bit racist”) and gay love (“If I were gay”) amongst them. But there’s angst and philosophy too (“What do I do with a BA in English?”, “It sucks to be me”, “The more you love somebody, the more you want them dead” and “When you help others, you help yourself”).
The audience roared with laughter at Brian’s “Not wearing any underwear today” routine, we all hated Lucy the Slut and giggled nervously at the graphic puppet sex. But “The Internet is for porn” song remains my absolute favourite number and Trekkie Monster my favourite character.
Most of the actors operate puppets but as they make the same facial and body expressions – a brilliant skills - the characters kind of merge. The principal characters - Sarah Harding as Kate Monster and Richard Lowe as Princeton - were sensational but every cast member made a memorable contribution.
There are stage side screens with those familiar little learning cartoon videos on things like “purpose”, “night stand” and “commitment”. And everyone relates to those naughty Bad Idea Bears.
It’s playing at Richmond Theatre until Saturday 31 October http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/avenue-q/richmond-theatre/
The main web site is worth a visit for the animations http://www.avenueqthemusical.co.uk/#/home/ Tour dates are here http://avenuequk.com/tour-dates but after Hornchurch and Wimbledon the nearest to London are in Guildford and Milton Keynes.
