UK Review: Avenue Q

It was only once I'd taken my seat at the Noel Coward Theatre that I realised I'd seen something odd out on the street. The 'house full' sign – which was proudly stood on show – wasn't your usual dusty old board that theatre managements grudgingly drag out when full – no, no. This 'house full' sign was custom-made for the show; a confident, bright yellow board surrounded by pictures of the Broadway cast. The significance of such a sign quietly symbolises much about Avenue Q; not just that the attention to detail on stage is of prime importance outside as well, but the sign also represents how confident the producers are that they have a hit on their hands - that they chose to pay for a sign to celebrate that fact. And thank God they did – this is one show that's going to need it..

Yep, with all guns blazing, the loud, brash, crude puppet phenomenon of Avenue Q hops over the pond to London's West End. When it announced it was going to transfer I was sceptical – as were many others, including the writers – about how such a show would transfer. As quintessentially New York as it gets, Avenue Q satirises a staple part of American culture – Sesame Street, a programme which is no longer shown on mainstream British TV. "The sun is shining, it's a lovely day" we hear in the overture, and quickly we accustom our ears to the upbeat tones so associated with children's TV. So far so American. "But you've got lots of bills to pay, what can you do?". And suddenly a chord is struck within, and I realise that underneath the quirky American tones is a universal show for all - regardless of nationality - and so begins our journey through porn, bills, break-ups, racism, mix-tapes, sex and sluts.

The beauty of Avenue Q lies in its effortless simplicity; simplicity about our everyday lives but put on a stage and sung. 'The Internet is for Porn', 'Everyone's a Little Bit Racist' and 'Schadenfreude' all offer acute observations about our relationship with society, but it's captured beautifully within the small microcosm of a fictional street in New York, a street that's inhabited by puppets and people with problems. There's Princeton (Jon Robyns), a recent college graduate ('what do you do with a BA in English?', he asks in the opening number) who's desperate to find his purpose in life. Kate Monster (Julie Atherton), a kindergarten teacher, who longs to run a school for monsters and is always on the look out for love. Rod (also Jon Robyns), a Republican investment banker and closeted homosexual lives alongside his roommate Nicky (Simon Lipkin), whom he fantasises about in his sleep, and then there are the humans who live alongside the puppets: Gary Coleman (Giles Terera), a former TV star turned poverty-stricken superindendent, Christmas Eve (Ann Harada), a Japanese therapist, and her husband Brian (Sion Lloyd), currently unemployed but with dreams of being a comedian.

It's a puppet show, sure, but this is no Punch and Judy. The puppets are playing people, yet the people are playing puppets. You never know who to watch – the actors are giving such wonderful expressions, yet the puppets are funny in themselves as well, reduced versions of ourselves if you will; scratching their heads, yawning, laughing. Rick Lyon's beautifully constructed puppets – each with a tremendous layer of detail – are excellently manipulated by all the actors involved, and Jason Moore manages impeccable direction of his actors despite the fact they have never operated puppets like this before. There is a high level of attention to detail in both the design and direction; nothing is by chance. If Sesame Street tries to teach children morals and messages, the puppets in Avenue Q offer a welcome reminder that actually, we all have the same problems in life and we'll be okay in the end.

Whereas John Tartaglia in the original cast on Broadway excelled in a very chirpy, carefree children's TV presenter performance – very much flashing a toothy white grin – Jon Robyns plays Princeton and Rod as far more serious, meaty characters. Given that they're faced with difficult problems in their lives - sexuality denial for Rod and relationship problems for Princeton – you'd think that this might work, but I have to admit I miss Tartaglia's sense of fun and enjoyment, the safety in knowing that an optimistic ending is just around the corner. Right now, Robyns doesn't enjoy himself enough, but he will, and when he does he'll feel at home. Though 'settling into a role' is usually a poor excuse, with Robyns I know it's true, he'll genuinely come into his own and give it his own quirky sense of fun – which he already shows great signs of doing. Let's not forget as well that he doesn't have the years of experience Tartaglia and co previously enjoyed on Sesame Street.

Julie Atherton, who also takes two roles, excels in the part of Kate Monster, and like Jon Robyns she really controls the emotion and despair of heartbreak, but thankfully conveys the sweetness, charm and sensitivity that comes with her character too. Her voice is pure and clean and her mannerisms natural and enjoyable. Atherton's failings come in her other character Lucy the Slut. Her big number I Can Make You Feel Special falls a bit short; Atherton's so good at the innocent, charming Kate that the sudden transformation to the big, busty blonde Lucy feels forced and slightly unnatural. Why the casting didn't allow for the underused Clare Foster to take the role – when she controls Lucy's puppet for the majority of the time anyway – is odd. There's a certain fieriness to Foster's smaller but noticeable contribution to the show; and I feel a great potential to have created a genuine rivalry between the puppets has been missed. But both Jon Robyns and Julie Atherton are on top form when playing the romantic leads – their scenes of awkward love together are welcome distractions from the show's otherwise continuously comic nature. Given the demands of the role they cope fantastically.

Ann Harada, transferring from the Broadway cast, is hilarious as Christmas Eve. She only has to open her mouth for a line to floor you; a wonderful comic performance and some great costumes too. In a change from the Broadway show, the casting of Gary Coleman is now given to a male, not female, performer (though interestingly a female understudy is listed, a unisex part it seems). On Broadway, it was confusing enough that a real living person was being fictionalised in a musical, without then further casting him as a female! Luckily in England they've given the part to Giles Terrera, who has the audience in his hand from the beginning; another extremely well written part. My only disappointment was that Coleman's big number Schadenfreude appears in a scaled-down version; the entire section 'straight A students getting Bs, ex-es getting STDs' has disappeared, so the number feels slightly empty and in need of something more. Simon Lipkin as Nicky and Trekkie Monster gives a great charismatic performance; and he's never better when paired with the fantastic Clare Foster as the Bad Idea Bears, encouraging mischief amongst the residents.

For fans of the show wondering how it's changed in its transfer, the answer is very little. A new scrim appears at the beginning of the show locating Avenue Q just outside of Manhattan, which then rises on the wonderful street design by Anna Louizos. Aside from some slight orchestral changes in Purpose, an ever-so-slightly extended set to each side, changed words here and there (though 'Mexican busboys' stays, Polacks are cut in favour of the French) and a joke about the Euro, Avenue Q is almost as in tact as its New York original. Like Mel Brooks' The Producers – which also changed very little in its transfer – it seems that when the product has been so tried and tested in development, what's left needs little adjustment. Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx have written witty lyrics, a score packed with originality and created a feast of memorable characters. Jeff Whitty's book perhaps tries to overegg the sentimentality of the message – especially when Princeton is trying to find his purpose, which no-one really cares about - but it's slick and fast moving, and that in itself is a skill many writers never learn. The consistent laughter and enjoyment from the audience comes through the recognisable personalities and situations that we've all been through in our lives, and – as I said before – these are universal themes, especially in our globalised society.

I hope that Avenue Q's long term box office success won't echo the fate of Jerry Springer the Opera – a cult success at the National when tickets were available cheapily, then an ever declining audience after ticket prices rose to £50. Sadly, I fear it could happen again – this show is an absolute gem at £30 in previews, but at £50? Who knows, and what the characters of Avenue Q would have to say about such inflation is anybody's guess. But – 'for now' - Avenue Q can proudly display that house full sign every single night and it deserves to for a long time coming. A standing ovation, infectious laughter and slick performances and direction make this a very happy day for musical theatre indeed.

Visit www.avenueqthemusical.co.uk for more details.

Photos by Nigel Norrington/Camera Press/Retna