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Sunday, November 25, 2007
Stage Review: 'Avenue Q' plays like adult-themed parody of 'Sesame Street'
Post Gazette: "The smart, engagingly sophomoric 'Avenue Q,' here to entertain us over Thanksgiving, is the musical comedy that seeks to discover whether Pittsburgh is ready for full frontal puppet nudity."
It was really funny when Princeton says, "I feel so old. I'm almost 23," because there are a lot of old people on the second floor laughing really hard. But apparently there was a family with two small kids who got really upset with the content of the opening number, It sucks to be me, and left immediately. I really hope the people really take seriously when there is a big parental advisory sign on the poster and rethink of the possibility the show with the puppets may not necessarily like the sesame street.
The advertising should state the age limit of audience. Maybe the staff in Pittsburgh was not aware of the show at all. But the touring company should say the show does not fit the kids, at least. Anyway there was probably some sort of negligence by someone.
I saw this show on Broadway and after setting eyes on the set, I thought to myself "Wow, this deserves a larger stage". I always saw a show like "Avenue Q" becoming more emphatic on a big stage. Although there aren't any pyrotechnics or complicated lighting effects, the show constantly felt as if it was trying to reach beyond the barriers that the Golden Theater's proscenium arch held. I think this will do just fine set in a larger theater.
This show I was hoping to see on Broadway but never got the chance. Even never having seen the show in New York I knew it had a fair amount of adult content. The advertising I saw for it online also said that there was a parental advisory.
I find it interesting that it was difficult to translate this play to a larger space considering the stage it played on broadway; though not the largest house on Broadway, is pretty big. However, I do think it interesting how some people have said responses have been towards Avenue Q. Also it gave a hint of the amount of shock in the content from the article.
The sound quality was quite poor – though I guess most engineers don’t worry primarily about the sound in the nosebleeds. Several families left the production in mid-performance, which makes me wonder why people don’t bother looking into a show before they purchase tickets. All it takes is one google search or one phonecall to figure out that Avenue Q is no ordinary puppet show. When I saw the production in New York, one woman walked out with three small children mumbling “Seasame Street my ass.” But I just had to chuckle because if she had looked at any of the advisories posted in the lobby she would have realized Avenue Q does not claim to be a G-rated Saturday morning TV show.
I saw the show last night and must agree that most people did seem to enjoy the show. I know I loved it not only for the hilarity of seeing puppets do crazy things, but it also had a decent story behind it. I did see a few kids at the show that I thought might not be old enough to be seeing such a show. The actors where pretty good for a turing show. For the most part the adaptation to a tour was well done.
Avenue Q is the show I have always wanted to and never needed to see. I have the T shirt and know all of the songs, and all too often people don;r know or forget that Ive never actually sen the show. This is fine with me, I never feel as though I am missing that much, the music is hilarious enough for me. I am sure if the opportunity arises I will make my way to see a show.
As far as the little kids thing, seriously parents, if you are going to take you kids to go see something do just a itsy bitsy bit of research on the show. READ THE POSTER!!! Or just find out something that would lead you yo the conclusion that not all puppet shows are for kids, in fact I think that is one of the main purposes of this show is to break that very stigma.
I saw the production last night and there were advisory signs everywhere. I don't see how you could miss it. I thought the production was well done for a tour.
I am really curious whether or not this show would work without the puppets. I think the script is solid enough that the script is not completely necessary, but I am still curious whether or not it would be the Tony winner that it became. Because half of the characters aren't puppets, I think that the show would work without the puppets, and the adult themes are shocking enough without having to tie in the puppets.
i've seen the tv ads, they all include a disclaimer in the center of the screen saying that this show is not intended for children, and yet people bring their kids anyways? they have no right to complain. avenue q's been around long enough that any theatregoer should know what its about, and that kids arent the target audience by far.
11 comments:
It was really funny when Princeton says, "I feel so old. I'm almost 23," because there are a lot of old people on the second floor laughing really hard. But apparently there was a family with two small kids who got really upset with the content of the opening number, It sucks to be me, and left immediately. I really hope the people really take seriously when there is a big parental advisory sign on the poster and rethink of the possibility the show with the puppets may not necessarily like the sesame street.
The advertising should state the age limit of audience. Maybe the staff in Pittsburgh was not aware of the show at all. But the touring company should say the show does not fit the kids, at least. Anyway there was probably some sort of negligence by someone.
I saw this show on Broadway and after setting eyes on the set, I thought to myself "Wow, this deserves a larger stage". I always saw a show like "Avenue Q" becoming more emphatic on a big stage. Although there aren't any pyrotechnics or complicated lighting effects, the show constantly felt as if it was trying to reach beyond the barriers that the Golden Theater's proscenium arch held. I think this will do just fine set in a larger theater.
This show I was hoping to see on Broadway but never got the chance. Even never having seen the show in New York I knew it had a fair amount of adult content. The advertising I saw for it online also said that there was a parental advisory.
I find it interesting that it was difficult to translate this play to a larger space considering the stage it played on broadway; though not the largest house on Broadway, is pretty big. However, I do think it interesting how some people have said responses have been towards Avenue Q. Also it gave a hint of the amount of shock in the content from the article.
The sound quality was quite poor – though I guess most engineers don’t worry primarily about the sound in the nosebleeds. Several families left the production in mid-performance, which makes me wonder why people don’t bother looking into a show before they purchase tickets. All it takes is one google search or one phonecall to figure out that Avenue Q is no ordinary puppet show. When I saw the production in New York, one woman walked out with three small children mumbling “Seasame Street my ass.” But I just had to chuckle because if she had looked at any of the advisories posted in the lobby she would have realized Avenue Q does not claim to be a G-rated Saturday morning TV show.
I saw the show last night and must agree that most people did seem to enjoy the show. I know I loved it not only for the hilarity of seeing puppets do crazy things, but it also had a decent story behind it. I did see a few kids at the show that I thought might not be old enough to be seeing such a show. The actors where pretty good for a turing show. For the most part the adaptation to a tour was well done.
Avenue Q is the show I have always wanted to and never needed to see. I have the T shirt and know all of the songs, and all too often people don;r know or forget that Ive never actually sen the show. This is fine with me, I never feel as though I am missing that much, the music is hilarious enough for me. I am sure if the opportunity arises I will make my way to see a show.
As far as the little kids thing, seriously parents, if you are going to take you kids to go see something do just a itsy bitsy bit of research on the show. READ THE POSTER!!! Or just find out something that would lead you yo the conclusion that not all puppet shows are for kids, in fact I think that is one of the main purposes of this show is to break that very stigma.
I saw the production last night and there were advisory signs everywhere. I don't see how you could miss it. I thought the production was well done for a tour.
I am really curious whether or not this show would work without the puppets. I think the script is solid enough that the script is not completely necessary, but I am still curious whether or not it would be the Tony winner that it became. Because half of the characters aren't puppets, I think that the show would work without the puppets, and the adult themes are shocking enough without having to tie in the puppets.
yeah... you didnt know this already?
i've seen the tv ads, they all include a disclaimer in the center of the screen saying that this show is not intended for children, and yet people bring their kids anyways? they have no right to complain. avenue q's been around long enough that any theatregoer should know what its about, and that kids arent the target audience by far.
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