West End Avenue Q to Transfer to Gielgud Theatre

Avenue Q will close in the West End at the Noël Coward Theatre on 28 March... but it will now reopen at the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue on 1 June (booking to Saturday 26 September), after the cast and puppets have taken a well deserved holiday!

Tickets will be on sale from Tuesday 10 March.

When it was announced last October that Avenue Q would finish its long run at the Noël Coward, it was not a decision taken lightly by its producers. In its third successful year and as it celebrated 1,000 performances in the West End, Avenue Q was still attracting packed houses. But the producers decided that it may be the right time to bring the show to a natural end - and go out on a high note.

However, since the closure was announced, Avenue Q has proven to be the perfect musical for our troubled times by going from strength to strength during the credit crunch. The combination of accessible prices and a hilarious night out is proving to be the perfect recipe for audiences hungry for escapism from terrible financial headlines.

Over the last 4 months, Avenue Q has seen its best box office sales yet and the highest weekly grosses since the production opened in June 2006.

Producer Cameron Mackintosh said today: "When I first saw Avenue Q in New York over five years ago, I found it a very funny, fresh and clever look at the trials and tribulations of young people finding their way in life, with splendidly witty swipes at contemporary hang-ups. So I was rather surprised when the show opened in 2006 that the British national critics mostly didn't get it and predicted that it would only last three months. Three years later Q is going stronger than ever, so much so that ever since I announced the last six months at the Coward to allow CALENDAR GIRLS to be booked into the theatre, business has surged to such an extent that I'm delighted to announce that Avenue Q is going to continue its run on the Avenue - Shaftesbury that is - at the start of June. The puppets have put their hands up the cast and demanded a few weeks holiday so, while they enjoy that, Alan Bennett's ENJOY will finish up its hugely successful extended run at the Gielgud Theatre"

The current cast and puppets will transfer to the Gielgud Theatre.

Funny, irreverent and downright addictive, you've never seen a musical like Avenue Q before! A cast of humans and puppets tackle subjects such as dating, racism, internet porn, being gay and finding your purpose in life, Avenue Q is a laugh-out-loud night out. It has music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, book by Jeff Whitty, based on an original concept by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx; and directed by Jason Moore. It has puppets conceived and designed by Rick Lyon; musical supervision by Stephen Oremus, and choreography by Ken Roberson. Avenue Q's scenic design is by Anna Louizos, costume design by Mirena Rada, lighting design by Howell Binkley, and sound design by Acme Sound Partners.

Avenue Q is produced in London by Cameron Mackintosh, Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, Jeffrey Seller, Vineyard Theatre and The New Group

LISTINGS INFO

Avenue Q

Gielgud Theatre
Shaftesbury Avenue
LONDON
WC2R 0NS

Box Office:
0844 482 5141

Monday June 1 -
Saturday
September 26

performances
Monday - Thursday
at 8.00pm

Friday at 5.30pm
and 8.30pm

Saturday at 5.00pm
and 8.30pm

The performance lasts approx 2hrs 15 mins (including a 15 min interval).

tickets
Weekday (including Friday 5.30pm):
£15 - £39

Friday evening and both Saturday perfs: £15 - £50

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