Avenue Q celebrates a year in the West End
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
THE MUSICAL Avenue Q has extended its booking period at the Noel Coward Theatre by eight months – until September 27, 2008.
Previously Posted: As well as three new cast members, Avenue Q will celebrate its first birthday at the Noel Coward Theatre on June 28, 2007, with “a night full of surprises and puppet-style fun…”
However, the full new cast will be together on-stage for the first time on June 4, 2007. And they are:
Jon Robyns (Princeton and Rod); Simon Lipkin (Nicky and Trekkie); Julie Atherton (Kate and Lucy); Mary Doherty (Mrs Thistletwat and other parts); Jennifer Tanarez (Christmas Eve); Sion Lloyd (Brian); Delroy Atkinson (Gary Coleman); Chris Thatcher, Naana Agy-Ampadu and Jacqui Sanchez (ensemble parts); and Yanle Zhong, Matthew Henry and Simon Gorton (the swings).
Tanarez is making her professional West End debut in the role of Christmas Eve; Doherty was recently seen in the RSC’s production of Merry Wives: The Musical at Stratford; and Atkinson’s musical credits include The Harder They Come, Lautrec, Jerry Springer the Opera, The Bomb-itty of Errors, Rent and Five Guys Named Moe.
Previously Posted: Not only has Avenue Q extended its booking period at the Noel Coward Theatre until January 2008, it has also reduced ticket prices for midweek performances.
Until now, prices have been much the same as for other West End musicals (£50 max) but Avenue Q has proved particularly popular with younger audiences, many of whom return for repeat viewing.
With that in mind, tickets for Monday to Thursday and Friday early evening performances have been re-priced and now range from £10 (previously £17.50) to a maximum of £35. However, prices for Friday late shows and Saturday performances remain unchanged.
But from February 9, 2007, times for the two Friday shows will be brought forward – from 5.45pm to 5.30pm and from 8.45pm to 8.30pm.
Commenting on the ticket restructure, producer and theatre owner Cameron Mackintosh said:
“British audiences have embraced Avenue Q like in New York where it is now in its fourth sell-out year. I am delighted that the show has been discovered here by an audience that is not traditionally found in the West End and who are laughing their heads off at what is a truly original musical.”
The current West End cast features Giles Terera, Julie Atherton, Jon Robyns, Simon Lipkin, Clare Foster, Naoko Mori and Sion Lloyd.
Avenue Q has been nominated for a 2007 Olivier Award for Best New Musical.
Previously Posted: Avenue Q, which opened at the newly refurbished and renamed Noel Coward Theatre (formerly the Albery) on June 28, 2006, has extended its booking period – from September 30, 2006 to January 27, 2007.
Previously Posted: Ann Harada who originated the role of Christmas Eve in the Broadway production of Avenue Q, is reprising her role in the London production which opens on June 28, 2006, at the Noel Coward Theatre.
The 42-year-old actress from Hawaii won an Outer Critics Circle Award, plus a Broadway.com Award, for her performance.
Joining her will be Clare Foster as Mrs T and Sion Lloyd as Brian.
Previously Posted: The Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, Avenue Q, will receive its UK premiere this summer – at Cameron Mackintosh’s refurbished and newly renamed Noel Coward Theatre (currently the Albery), where it will begin previews on June 1, 2006.
The offbeat show, described as “Sesame Street meets South Park“, features a cast of seven – three playing humans, the rest manipulating puppets.
These include a closet gay puppet called Rod and a porn-addicted puppet called Trekkie Monster. There’s also Kate Monster, a puppet looking for love.
So, what exactly, is it all about?
Avenue Q is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college graduate who arrives in New York with big dreams and a tiny bank account. But it isn’t long before he discovers that there is only one neighbourhood suited to his limited finances – Avenue Q.
Still, the neighbours seem nice. There’s Brian, an out-of-work comedian and his therapist fiance Christmas Eve; Nicky, the good-hearted slacker and his room-mate Rod; an investment banker who harbours a secret; and, of course, Trekkie and Kate Monster….
With a score by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, songs include Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist, The Internet Is for Porn and You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You’re Makin’ Love).
The London cast will include Giles Terera (Jailhouse Rock, The Rat Pack) as Job; Julie Atherton (Notes from New York) as Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut; Jon Robyns as Princeton/Rod; and Simon Lipkin as Nicky/Trekkie Monster.
Avenue Q was first seen at Off-Broadway’s Vineyard Theatre. In July 2003, it transferred to Broadway’s Golden Theatre where it subsequently won three 2004 Tony Awards, including Best Musical.
A second American production – in Las Vegas – will close after just five months, supposedly to make way for the Monty Python musical Spamalot.
So, is Avenue Q suitable for young children? It seems not as it addresses issues such as sex, drinking and surfing the web for porn. In fact, it’s hard to say what age is right; just that parents should exercise their own discretion based on the maturity level of their child/children.
Booking opens on March 13, 2006.