Broadway in Brisbane, 'Avenue Q' smashes it at the Arts Theatre.
What happens when you take a multi-award-winning Off-Broadway musical and pop it in a local community theatre in Brisbane? Well, my fellow sceptical friends, you get gold, as proven by the return season of 'Avenue Q' at Brisbane Arts Theatre.
For those of you who aren’t cool enough to know this show (it’s ok we forgive you), 'Avenue Q' is a comedy/ puppetry, possibly R16, pop musical phenomenon that took Broadway to town in 2003. In the fictional New York suburb of Avenue Q, we meet a group of nine residents, some puppets, some not so much, and are taken through their suburban coming-of-age tales.
Like most boxed-up Broadway musicals, we’re not in it for the story, we’re there for the melodrama and the energy that comes from a cast that gets to belt out brilliant songs such as ‘The Internet Is For Porn’ and ‘Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist’ and this cast really nail it. This work is not an easy feat. 'Avenue Q' combines the need to have a Mariah-esque vocal range whilst convincing the audience that the giant piece of fabric attached to you is real. Easy? By all means, I suggest you try it please.
The cast ripped energy from the audience from the opening number and carried it right through to the final curtain. The talent of this group is spectacular, so much so that I found little difference (in fact I actually enjoyed it more), than the professional touring work that came to QPAC in 2012. This show, more than I’ve seen before, is a testament to the power of performers. It doesn’t matter what kind of budget you’re playing with, if a cast has the talent and energy to perform what they are given, the audience will always get what they pay for, and in this case, much more.
'Avenue Q' plays at Brisbane Arts Theatre until June 21.
Written by Tom Noble
