Now 12 years since it first premiered, Avenue Q’s cynical take on the lives of 20- and 30-somethings out of college, struggling to find their purpose and achieve their dreams is seen across popular entertainment.
The show is not for children, and distances itself from anything to do with Jim Henson’s Sesame Street. The bawdy humour has the Dome audience roaring with laughter while being knowingly scrutinised by Trekkie Monster during The Internet Is For Porn.
The puppeteers’ expressive skill is extraordinary – particularly as they’re also singing in character, following choreographed routines, and occasionally voicing puppets operated by other people.
Stephen Arden and Jessica Parker each perform one arm of puppet character Nicky as he swoops across the stage.
At one point, actress Kate Harlington has Kate Monster on one hand and Lucy the Slut on the other, not only switching voices as they argue but conveying both characters’ body language.
Covering the role of Gary Coleman, Cleopatra Joseph swaggers with great verve but needs to enunciate some lyrics more clearly, while the Japanese accent of Arina Ii’s Christmas Eve is played for uneasy laughs in The More You Ruv Someone.
Overall, though, this energetic production is an entertaining night out.
Four stars
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