King’s Theatre, Glasgow
Until: Saturday 2 July
Performance Reviewed: Tuesday 28 June
Rating: * * * * *
Homosexuality, porn, homelessness, racism, depression, suicide, worthlessness and love. Not your average musical theatre topics – particularly not all in one two-hour long show. Then again, Avenue Q is not your average musical.
This is the first UK tour of the show which originated on Broadway before transferring for a successful three years in London’s West End.
The writers wanted to come up with a show that their friends with a dislike for musicals would want to see. The result can simply described as Sesame Street for adults.
Avenue Q tells the story of the residents of a downmarket New York street and the problems they are dealing with. Characters include Kate Monster, the single Kindergarten teacher; Princeton, the unemployed university graduate; Trekkie Monster, the “pervert”, Lucy the Slut and Gary Coleman (based on the Diff’rent Strokes actor). The performers not only sing and act but control a puppet, half of a puppet or for others, two puppets alternately. The only human characters are Gary Coleman, the building superintendent of Avenue Q, and couple Brian and Christmas Eve.
Rachel Jerram is outstanding as Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut. With a versatile singing voice she also effortlessly switches between the accents and tones of each character when speaking, even when they’re having a speedy conversation. The same can be said for Adam Pettigrew in the roles of Princeton and Rod.
With songs such as It Sucks to be Me, What Do You Do with a BA in English?, If You Were Gay, Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist and The Internet is for Porn, it is clear that Avenue Q is not for the easily offended. Each song has hilarious lyrics and tunes so catchy that they’ll be running through your head for days.
The Glasgow audience on opening night cheered as the lights went down, laughed throughout (very loudly and heartily) and left with huge smiles on their faces.
If you’re not prudish or easily offended and would like to relive your childhood whilst laughing out loud at the trials and tribulations of adult life, get on down to Avenue Q before all of the residents move on.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: King’s Theatre website
