Avenue Q
Controversial puppets at the Playhouse
It’s puppetry, but for adults. In fact, sometimes Avenue Q is quite literally adult puppetry. Nothing could have prepared me for cute felt creatures copulating to an upbeat jazz number.
To put this themed fornication in context, Avenue Q is coming-of-age musical. For a 20 year old near graduate, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx’s creation creepily mirror my experiences. It features a fresh-into-the-world English Lit grad (check), anxiety about entering adulthood (check), the search for a purpose (check), and temporary homelessness (not yet).
The show was an ingenious balance of realism and reverie. Avenue Q contains socially relevant themes such as racism, closet homosexuality and porn addiction. On the other hand, I had to suspend my belief in order to phase out the fully visible puppeteers. Avenue Q perfects this experimental combination. With a nod to the Muppets and Sesame Street, puppets mingle with human characters. It’s a daring mix of opposites, but it certainly works.
Unfortunately, the charm fizzles slightly in the second act. Post-interval, Avenue Q is notably plot-driven, and the first half’s excellent writing becomes subdued. Nevertheless, the script leaves a lasting impression. Comical, vulgar, unpredictable and poignant, Jeff Whitty ‘s writing thoroughly engages the audience.
Whitty’s characters also deserve an honourable mention. The Bad Idea Bears were, ironically, a particularly great idea. The mischievous bears hilariously represent the devil on our shoulders. You know, the one that tells you that a ‘quiet one’ is definitely not going to end with a table top dance routine. On the other hand, Avenue Q sometimes strays from mirroring real life experience and instead affirms real life prejudices. Take the inclusion of Lucy the Slut. As suggested, Lucy is demonised for her promiscuity. The play even closes with her becoming a born-again Christian. Yes, really.
Luckily, Avenue Q has several redeeming qualities. Male and female characters alike search for an individual purpose. In doing so, they reveal a lot about the trials of real life. I laughed, cringed and had an existential crisis, all in the space of two hours. Not bad for a puppet show.
7/10
