Tuesday, 4 September 2007

**** You Lady That's What Stairs Are For!

Many apologies for the radio silence from me recently, a combination of working at Galaxy FM in Yorkshire and at the same time being struck down with a really bad cold had kinda left my will to post up in the air

So on to business then

Last week, like Chiara, I took a trip up to London. Unlike Chiara I didn't go to some hipster rcok show, I went to see a musical, Avenue Q.

Now before we begin, lets set the record straight. Avanue Q is no ordinary West End show (although I do know and love a lot of these having been brought up on them by my mum). Firstly it's performed by puppets. Proper, Muppetlike (although not affiliated with the Jim Henson Creature Shop in any way) puppets up the arse of which many of the actors stick their hands. While this may seem really gimmiky it actually works fantastically well. The puppets are set up so that the movements the actors make with their free arm are directly mimiced by the puppets

Full of puppets it may be, but this is not a musical for kids. Dealing with very adult issues such as coming of age, the desperate search for purpose in a seemingly disparate and meaningless existence, the denial of ones own sexuality and the effects of a declining economy on those at the bottom of the ladder, the issues it deals with are decidedly adult

Or maybe it's the content of songs such as 'The Internet Is For Porn' and 'Everyone's A Little Bit Racist' along with the swearing, drinking and occasional whore. Oh and the onstage puppet sex. Don't forget the puppet sex

At heart Avenue Q is a comedy and a fantastic one at that. The songs are as good as the titles with some wonderfully sharp lyrics (I could quote any number of them to you at an instant they are that fantastic and memorable) and a way of tackling potentially edgy and offensive issues in a brillintly childish and blunt manner that carries a hilarious charm

Whilst often being irreverent, rude and outright hilarious, at the end of the day the serious themes of the show still pack a major punch showing the production is by no means style over substance or an excuse for cheap gags. It may seem odd but what shines through the most in Avenue Q is a real sense of humanity. It's weird but for the course of two hours a group of puppets (with live action support) manage to be a whole lot more human than a lot of people and performers can be. As they say in the opening number - 'This Is Real Life' , and it's true of the whole package - sidesplitting or serious

My review has ben ratehr serious which is almost a shame. Avenue Q is a fantastic shpow and one of the funniest things you'll ever see with some killer gags alll set to music and a really well thought out choreography and set. Simply put, it's so goddamn funny most of the audience sounded like they were peeing their pants after nearly every song. If South Park and Sesame Street ever had an illegitiamate daughter, forced it to take piano lessons until it was 7 and then decided to let it fend for itself on the streets of London as a stand-up comic you might get somewhere close. Or nowhere near. One or the other. Or neither. You know whatever's good

Want to see for yourself and get a clearer view of what I mean- I found a video of a TV performance of one of the songs ( It Sucks To Be Me - a personal favourite of mine) below. Then go see the show yourself and remember what the internet is really for:

Spreading the word about great music whatever it is

And porn

Posted by Sandy at 9/04/2007 06:22:00 pm

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