If A is the Ritz and Z is the pits then Avenue Q is at the wrong end of the rainbow where purposeless puppets and hard-up humans find themselves in the gutter of the American Dream, symbolised by the Empire State Building towering over a rundown row of red-brick apartments, looking at the stars in search of a twinkle of light to illuminate the darkness which passes for life.

A repressed homosexual smitten by his straight roommate. An unemployed graduate caught between the girl next door and sex on legs. A cookie-cum-nookie monster addicted to porn. A child-star on the slide. A comic in search of a punchline. And a Japanese therapist with anger management issues whose comical torch song The More You Ruv Someone is a cross between Miss Piggy and Margarita Pracatan. More Suicide than Sesame Street.

Having bagged three Tony Awards in 2004 for Best Musical, Score and Book, Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx’s music and lyrics together with Jeff Whitty’s script is a feel-good romp which pokes fun at our shared hang-ups about race, sex and sexuality in a witty and warmhearted way.

The first half, a succession of stand-alone songs with a satirical edge including Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist, The Internet Is For Porn and If You Were Gay. The second, shorter with a surprisingly moving finale For Now in which the disappointment of “Everyone’s a little bit unsatisfied / Everyone goes ’round a little empty inside” is alleviated by the realisation that life’s problems including those related to sex, hair loss and (to the biggest cheer of the night) Theresa May will pass.

RCS graduate Lawrence Smith is charming and sweet in the dual roles of closeted Rod and directionless Princeton; effortlessly switching voice and physicality at the drop of the latter’s trousers in the hilarious You Can Be As Loud As The Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love); as well as being pitch-perfect in song and comical timing as evident in his side-splitting delivery of “And I can’t wait to eat her pussy again!” in My Girlfriend, Who Lives In Canada.

Understudy Megan Armstrong is equally impressive stepping into the shoes of Cecily Redman as Kate Monster and Lucy The Slut. Two characters at opposite ends of the raunch-o-meter which she nails with flair and finesse. As do the remainder of the 11-strong cast in their respective roles, with particular mention to Tom Steedon who shines as Nicky, Trekkie Monster and one of two Bad Idea Bears alongside understudy Chloe Gentles making an assured professional debut.

It takes a while for the eye to focus on the puppets rather than the puppeteers due to challenge of when to adopt a blank over a lively expression and how lively an expression to show, and the static set cries out for a spectacular set-piece as hinted at by the fleeting appearance of a gigantic head which peeks over the rooftops like the Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters, but Cressida Carré’s accomplished direction and choreography is so fast-paced and funny that you can’t help but be swept away by what Jeff Marks describes in his programme notes as “this fun, dirty little show”.

Peter Callaghan
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