Review: Avenue Q A Heartfelt and Hilarious Look at Adulting

Everyone has a purpose, so what’s mine?

Do you know your purpose? Generally defined as a long-term, meaningful goal that positively impacts others, purpose often feels out of reach, a fantasy of “in an ideal world, I would…” But life is complicated, and answers aren’t simple. From its opening moments, the smash-hit Broadway musical Avenue Q challenges audiences to reflect on this very question.

Avenue Q is a Tony Triple Crown-winning production (Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Score), unexpectedly triumphing over the beloved blockbuster Wicked in 2004. With music, lyrics, and original concept by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez, and a book by Jeff Whitty, the show delivers a brilliantly clever and comedic take on adulthood, wrapped in a package that initially resembles Sesame Street for grown-ups.

With childlike screen animations, vibrant puppets interacting with humans, a playful yet sharp-witted score, and a set design reminiscent of a Sesame Street soundstage, Avenue Q creates a world that is both nostalgic and refreshingly irreverent. It doesn’t take long for Whitty’s book to shift, seamlessly blending comedy with sharp social commentary on the challenges of adulthood.

Themes explored are still as relevant as they were back in 2003. Avenue Q takes a heartfelt and yet somehow hilarious look at themes such as racism, sexuality, homelessness, career, personal relationships and life responsibilities, with the idea of ‘purpose’ quietly bubbling underneath and revisited throughout.   

The show follows fresh-faced Princeton (Harley Dasey) looking for a home and wondering what his purpose is after graduating with a BA in English. However, with no job, he finds himself in the neighbourhood of Avenue Q, full of delightful and entertaining (if not slightly eccentric) residents all struggling with life themselves. Princeton experiences a dose of reality, especially in the world of sex and relationships with love interest Kate Monster (Zoe Crisp). 

A performance highlight is the amazing teamwork between Andrew McDougall and Perri Espinoza who bring the duel-armed live-hand character Nicky to life. Espinoza also plays one of the Bad Idea Bears, putting her whole self into both roles, both physically and vocally, with fabulous facial expressions matching her two different styles of puppetry work. 

McDougall impresses while playing the very vocally different naughty/porn-obsessed Trekkie Monster, and on at least one occasion, voices both characters on stage at the same time. With an inspiring background in the Australian puppetry industry for over 30 years, his work is on display in this production’s puppet creations.   

Another other standout is Jonathon Shilling as Rod, Nicky’s roommate. Shilling guides Rod on a journey of self-discovery, helping him come to terms with his sexuality, something that has long been obvious to everyone but him. Shilling delivers a performance that is both hilarious and deeply moving, embodying the very human traits that Rod refuses to acknowledge within himself.

Due to the the nature of the show, puppeteer performers face a unique challenge. They must not only bring out the human traits within their puppet’s character but also strike a delicate balance, performing with presence while ensuring the focus remains on the puppet and its story.

Shilling and Cassie Ogle exemplify this seamless fusion of performer and puppet. As the sultry cabaret artist Lucy the Slut, Ogle, with an exaggerated strut and playful flirtation, perfectly embodies Lucy’s seductive persona, making the character feel like a fully unified performance. Shilling achieves the same feat with Rod, blurring the line between puppet and puppeteer.

This isn’t to overlook the challenge faced by the show’s three human characters, Brian (Matthew Tomlin), Xmas Eve (Chiew-Jin Khut) and Gary Coleman (Stephanie Lacerna, making her musical theatre debut). They must maintain the illusion that the puppets are truly alive, ignoring the visible puppeteers, no matter how expressive they may be. Overall, this ensemble showcases the exceptional teamwork required to bring a production of this calibre to life, making it well worth the price of admission.

Pip Mushin’s masterful direction takes the audience on an emotional whirlwind, keeping them fully engaged and deeply invested in each character’s journey. From the initial animation of ‘Welcome to Avenue Q’ to final bows, Musical Director Alexandra Byrne keeps the hidden five-piece orchestra tightly in time with vocals and dialogue, providing a great sound balance during musical numbers. 

Although some cultural references might make more sense to Gen X than Millennial audiences (eg Gary Coleman, or the idea of teaching the internet to youngsters), there are plenty of laughs for everyone. Well, everyone over 18 years old! 

One question remains, does Princeton find his purpose?  Guess you’ll have to visit Avenue Q to find out. Congratulations to Andrew Gyopar, Executive Producer of AG Theatre, and his team on a highly entertaining and refreshingly unfiltered, non-woke production. Though I still don’t know my purpose!   

Avenue Q runs until 16 March 2025 at the National Theatre, 20 Carlisle Street, St Kilda.

Tickets: https://booktickets.com.au/avenueq/

Website: https://agtheatre.com.au/avenueq/

Socials: https://www.instagram.com/agtheatreproductions/

Photo credits: Nicole Cleary