Theatre review - Avenue Q

11:06am Wednesday 6th August 2008

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Not many gave this show hope of lasting six months when it opened in June 2006. But Avenue Q has been running for two years at the Noel Coward Theatre. It remains one of the most ingenious and imaginative shows to be staged in the capital, one I would urge anyone (over 16) to see.

It is a show where the starring roles are performed by puppets, by actors. You start out by looking at the actors but the hand held performers eventually take over.

Writers Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx freely admit they wrote Avenue Q for the younger theatregoer, in particular people who wouldn't normally go to see a musical. Set in present day New York we have landlord Gary, keen to fill his last apartment for rent. Gary is played by Edward Baruwa and is a friendly enough guy with a slightly exaggerated opinion of himself.

The lead is the extremely capable Daniel Boys, who finished a couple behind Joseph winner Lee Mea. He has both Princeton and Rod on his arm and is a joy to watch. How these young actors can handle these puppets so well is beyond me - it takes things far and above the expected.

The story unfolds with some of the funniest, clever song writing I have ever heard. This is the kind of stuff Mel Brookes was too scared to write. Everyone's a Little Bit Racist and It Sucks to Be Me are unbelievable and acceptable at the same time. As if these weren't funny enough, they do a song about the internet and its main purpose.

Mark Goldthorp triumphs with three characters up his sleeve during this amazing spectacle. He handles as Nicky, Trekkie Monster and Bear. His was a master performance and this audience recognised the fact at the end. Jacqui Sanchez as Mrs T was just hilarious, also.

Our hero Princeton eventually realises his life needs purpose and he finds it, of course. He finds much more than he bargained for along the way, too.

What the great Noel Coward - who the former Albery Theatre is now named after - would have made of such a brash, fresh and honest depiction of modern life in the new century I do not know. But I suspect he would have blushingly approved.