Avenue Q

Being Valentines day on Sunday I was excited to find out my present from the boy I walk beside was tickets to the theatre. All I knew was that it was in Soho, involved puppets, and was called Avenue Q.

Well by my standards anything happening in Soho is likely to knock my top interesting thing of the day off it's pedestal and grip my attention. I love puppets, be they used in film, on stage or in animation and so my anticipation was boosted.

As for the title, Avenue Q. . .well I didn’t know what to think of the name apart from having a sneaky suspicion this play was to be set somewhere in America.

I was right and as the curtains rose to reveal a downtown street in New York the question was asked, 'What do you do with a BA in English?'

The answer to this initial question is never really answered. Fittingly I believe, as I doubt many people leave university knowing how to face the frightening velocity at which you fall when coming to the end of the education conveyor belt.

Following this the first song is entitled, ‘My life sucks.’ What a way to begin this musical puppeteer production and set the scene for the fabulously hilarious Avenue Q. Think R rated Sesame street meets the muppets performed by an array of energetic cast members sporting American accents.

This opening number introduces you to the main characters who are a mix of actors and puppets who describe, through song, how and why their lives suck more than each-others. A combination of has-beens and hopeful haven’t yet beens could describe the characters surrounding purpose searching shy boy Princeton. The character is taken on a journey to enlightenment throughout the play where the concluding thought is simply that whatever happens is ‘only for now’ so there really is no need to worry.

In a time where recession and war are often heightened topics of conversation with many of us uni going youths questioning the point of our papers and grades, this show is the perfect remedy of controversial but notably honest musical numbers. With 'everyone's a little bit racist', 'the internet is for porn' and a wonderfully clear explanation of 'schadenfreude' (when you feel pleasure at others misfortune, we all do it!) these puppets and puppeteers offer a light, almost philosophical view on life.

I saw the production at the Gielgud Theatre in Soho where it will be shown until the 19th of March before moving to Wyndhams Theatre in Charing Cross. If you have the chance and need a laugh I highly recommend this obscure show involving some slightly disturbing scenes nearing puppet porn. Don’t worry the puppets are not fully exposed and the song that goes with it will have you creasing in your seat.

Seeming too good to be true by the end I was attentively searching for mistakes. Actor Tom Parsons who played characters Nicky, Trekkie Monster and one of the unforgettable Bears of bad ideas was on stage in the final scenes with all three puppets at once. Successfully switching voices and hands to control the separate puppets' movements in time with the right voices. I was sure he must make at least one little mistake, either by using the wrong voice whilst operating a character or forgetting to make the right mouth move, something! He didn’t and has earned the title of most coordinated individual I have ever seen. He made no mistakes and gave an outstanding performance all the way through; he was my favourite actor of the night.

By the end of the show my mouth was aching from laughter and nothing could ruin my night. I was ready and willing to watch the whole show all over again and want to get more tickets asap! A definite thumbs up from me - the person that walks beside me liked it too!

http://www.avenueqthemusical.co.uk/?gclid=CIf6gL6SgaACFdoB4wod7Ez6iw#/home/