Avenue Q

Largely a satire of the popular children’s show Sesame Street, Avenue Q is a musical addressing some of the heavy issues faced by twenty-somethings: purpose, relationships, and identity.  Set in the big city, racism and sex are hot topics for the characters.  For some reason it’s just easier to swallow the shocking realisation that “we are all a little bit racist” when a puppet sings about it.  Certainly this production is not without heart.  Humor is the main throughline, but love and an uplifting message are bound in each refrain.  Characters are each lovable — being quite familiar to the audience as people we know or in whom we see part of ourselves.

The cast is incredibly adept at handling multiple responsibilities and roles.  I was thrilled to find out that the actors had beautiful voices among their talents.  It was often surprising how comfortable they were moving about the stage, sometimes with two actors playing the same character!  Of course one cannot forget the foundations…  Set and staging give the show a very accessible quality as well as reinforcing the comedy’s structure.  I appreciated the creativity of the production team and the live musicians as well!

Overall, well — just get your tickets now.  There is no time like the present to laugh yourself silly.  (As a precaution, visit the toilet before you get comfy to avoid leakage due to laughter.)