Avenue Q London - Changes posted for Broadway fans !!

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 4:51am

Firstly let me hold up my hands and say after seeing and loving the OBC I didn't think he show would work here with a UK audience and English cast. BOY was I wrong on that, there is of course the presence of Ann Harada as Christmas Eve but let me tell you the home grown cast as just as good as the Broadway originals, all are sensational. It is hard to believe they have done less than a week of previews before the show I saw yesterday. I was supposed to go Friday (and still will with a big group of people) but walking past the theatre last night I asked about ticket prices an hour before the show, they let me have a top price seat for £10 rather than the £30 they are in previews so I snapped it up. I was in the middle of the royal circle and it was a great place to watch the show from, not too far away at all. The audience had an absolute ball !!

SPOILERS - Changes from Broadway:

There is initially a huge map on a scrim at the front of the stage showing Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens, Avenue Q is shown to be located somewhere at the back of the latter two boroughs. The stage is much wider here so the house has more space either side of it so they have expanded the set a little with a tree here and there etc. Some wording has changed now with references to a Chinese Takeaway when I think it was a Korean Deli and talk about French jokes rather than Polish jokes but it is not too different form the original book. Yes they now have Gary Coleman in now played by a man and I think it probably it works much better than a generic child star called "Gary" that they started with in London.

It is a slightly more "high tech" more expensive looking version of the stage here, more things move on the set, more lighting effects and the screens either side of the stage now lower and raise to show the short films rather than being fixed. One Night Stand is a different animation, rather than Night Stands by the side of your bed they use Knights being knocked over in a row by the side of castle.

Big difference, in the interval the screens flicker to life showing live footage from the inside of the mens toilets with the back view of guys taking a leak. It became apparent eventually is not live footage at all of course but it made everyone VERY nervous when using the toilets with guys looking round for the cameras and everyone laughing in the auditorium ! At the start of the second act the screens become colour and zoom in to a guy knocking at a cubicle door, Nikki is inside sat on the toilet and he sings them a new song about taking your time to do your thing and enjoying it, with the guys outside the cubicle complaining the second act has started and they are desperate. it includes a cameo from Matt Lucas a comedian who is very famous here (he was the first Leigh Bowery in London in Taboo). The song lasts about three minutes and briefly becomes a sing along for the crowd with words on the screen.

Can't wait for Friday now !!!
Updated On: 6/8/06 at 04:51 AM

[leeinlondon]

Posted: 6/8/06 at 8:24am

By the way I heard the new song was only added on Tuesday night which is why is has not been widely menitoned in people's comments on the London show so far.