Slice of life in Avenue Q
 
REVIEWED BY DANNY GOCS
THE adorable puppets of Sesame Street have morphed into the racier, adult versions on Avenue Q, the hit Broadway musical that had its Australian premiere in Melbourne last week.
There’s love, sex, racism, gay relationships and even a wedding with a Jewish toast that are tackled in this pacy production that is set in a rundown apartment block in New York.
The songs are cutting edge with cheeky lyrics by Jewish composer Jeff Marx, who grew up in Florida and became a lawyer before switching careers to songwriting and striking gold with Avenue Q. A special feature of the musical is that the puppeteers are an integral part of the performance, singing, dancing and acting along with the puppets in full view of the audience.
While this can be distracting at times, it provides a double treat for the audience. And it means the performers have to be versatile and multi-talented. The story centres around young college graduate Princeton (Mitchell Butel) who wants to get into the work force and moves into Avenue Q, having found accommodation in Avenues A to P was out of his price range.
His new neighbours include unemployed stand-up comic Brian (David James) and his Asian-American fianc√©e Christmas Eve (Christina O’Neill), gay housemates Rod (Butel) and Nicky (Luke Joslin) who are modelled on Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie, and the hairy Trekkie Monster (Joslin) who is obsessed with internet porn, and the aptly named Lucy T Slut (Michala Banas) who loosely resembles Miss Piggy.
Among this motley lot is the sweet and innocent Kate Monster (Banas), a kindergarten teacher who becomes Princeton’s love interest.¬†And looking over proceedings is Gary Coleman (Cherine Peck), the former child star who has grown up to be the apartment block’s superintendent.
The action develops through a series of songs with poignant lyrics that match the titles ‚Ķ Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist, If You Were Gay and It Sucks to be Me.¬†A highlight is when the entire cast sings You Can Be As Loud As You Want (When You’re Makin Love) as Princeton and Kate make love on the stage after an alcohol-fuelled night out.
Avenue Q is fine entertainment as it focuses on many of the important issues facing young adults today. Avenue Q is at the Comedy Theatre, Melbourne until late July before premiering in Sydney on August 12 at the Theatre Royal.
 
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