I saw Avenue Q - the musical, at The Aurora Centre in Christchurch with an audience that were either young, funky or young and funky. No wonder its still going strong after 10 years on the international stage.
The cast was conjured up of actors and Sesame/muppety puppets - with humans attached. They didn't even lip-sink or hide. They were animated even, and it still really worked. Your attention zoned on the puppets. There was real feeling in their funny felt faces. It didn't take long to bond with the characters, except for Mrs Thistletwat who wouldn't want as a boss.
I don't know how the writers and producers did it. They managed to weave poignant points of racism, homosexuality, unemployment, homelessness, pornography, love, sex and a close shave with death, into a humorous couple of lighthearted hours. It was all set in a simple, safe American street. It made fun of itself and it was good to leave your Ps and Qs in your pocket and ditch PC for the night. It was honest and nothing offended. Even the most poe-faced would just have to laugh at a bumbling overgrown cookie monster dancing round the stage telling us the at the internet is just "for porn". (Although parts of the puppet sex were a litttttle TMI - I will never get undressed in front of my soft-toys again!)
The core of its plot circled round the young characters searching for their "purpose". Apart from Lucy the Slut, who didn't suit not her prudish librarian transformation - everyone therefore had a serendipitously happy ending. Life is not that serious. "Everything in life is for now" was the final score.
The songs are still tinkling away in my head. Very catchy. Its the kind of musical you could see again. A new cult following in New Zealand perhaps. Catch it if you can.
