Review: Avenue Q

Stylistically, Avenue Q looks as if it was just around the corner from Sesame Street; colourful puppets singing upbeat songs all about tackling the great big world around us.

Lopez & Marx’s 2003 musical acknowledges that life is more of a jungle out there once you’re an adult, where everyone’s struggling, self-centred and flawed.

Thankfully, the inhabitants of the avenue tell it like it is with confessional zest and sparky humour.

The lyrics are a hoot, satirising 21st century hang-ups and attitudes about racism, internet porn, homophobia and relationships, all contained within jolly, razzamatazzy songs but with the odd more reflective number thrown in to leaven the mix.

This Whitworth Amateur Dramatic Society (WAMDS) production is typically slick and smart, the players showing great dexterity manipulating the puppets, their characters expressed through full-blooded human performances alongside.

Some puppets have one handler; others are so expansive and gesticulatory as to need two. All work hard to make the sassy dialogue and catchy songs zing across the footlights.

Though a song about being as noisy as you like during acrobatic sex might have been tasteless from naked humans, it’s far less near the knuckle (ironically) when sung (and acted out!) by puppets.

The simple, all-purpose set, a frontage of multi-coloured terraced houses, operates at different levels, with upper windows thrown open for contributions from above.

On the first night, there were a few technical issues but, considering the show’s complexities, these were kept to a minimum and did not mar the general high level of professionalism you expect from Whitworth.

At times, though the actors were miked well, the accompanying music was just a tad too loud.

There was no weak link to speak of in a talented, mostly young cast.

Jack Martin brilliantly played the energetic focus of the piece, Princeton, with a range of emotions from the jauntily defensive 'Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist' to the plaintive 'I Wish I Could Go Back To College'.

As the sensible, central female character Kate (even though a monster!), Megan Wight brought great subtlety of expression to the cartoonish proceedings and shone particularly in the quieter numbers 'A Mix Tape' and 'There’s A Fine, Fine Line' - a really promising performer, making the step-up to stardom here.

Chris Addington invested Nicky (who slides down from Avenue Q to Skid Row) with his own trademark rumbustiousness. He’s ably abetted by Jess Dawber, who showed great versatility in also playing vinegary old Mrs. T and one of the irritating Bad Idea Bears.

Eleanor Kelly vamps outrageously as Lucy The Slut, so caught up in her club routine she fleetingly forgot to manipulate the puppet’s mouth, but who cares when you can bump and grind as well as this. So screamingly uptight was Steven Cheeseman acting Rod, the closet gay guy, both their haircuts looked similarly tense - a wonderfully jumpy exercise in paranoia.

Martin White has been a WAMDS luminary for years and always gives great value, here in a trio of nicely differentiated roles. Liam Dodd and Ashleigh Ho, as squabbling newly-weds Brian and Christmas Eve(!), raised the comic stakes every time they emerged, great fun as an irrepressibly embarrassing failed stand-up and his sarcy, language-mangling Japanese partner.

The folksy, deep verbal stylings of Leroy Liburd, playing caretaker Gary Coleman (but, in manner, more reminiscent of Derek Griffiths, aptly from Playschool), were also a joy, especially in 'Schadenfreude' about the thrill of seeing others fail. Lastly, but far from least, Phil Harrison enjoyed himself hugely as Trekkie Monster, memorably extolling the pornographic splendours of the Internet.

Forget puppet prejudice, surrender immediately to the racy, rackety fun happening down Avenue Q and book tickets for this show instantly.

Avenue Q is on until Saturday 13 October, 7.30pm show start, doors open at 7pm at The Curtain Theatre:

https://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/events/53951/events-in-rochdale/wamds-presents-avenue-q