‘Everything in Life, is Only For Now…’ Avenue Q the Reunion 18th Birthday Concert, Sondheim Theatre, London 10.11.2024

This year viewing really did take me on a return to the past and this afternoon’s performance was just that! It was 2007 that I saw this musical even more special was it was my first musical I saw with Hayleigh and Jon Robyns! It was during a drive back home that the announcement was made that it would be making a 1 day comeback to celebrate its 18th Birthday and I was not going to not see the return of Avenue Q especially as the original London cast would be also performing! I bought two tickets to the matinee then and there even without a plus one (I knew I would find one). Then finally it was November and we made our way into the queue to enter the theatre and take our seats for the sold out performance.

Avenue Q is the hit comedy musical which features puppetry and human actors, with songs and lyrics Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. The shows format is similar to that of ‘Sesame Street’ except a more adult version that means you will hear words and see things you never thought you would see a puppet do! Princeton fresh out of college is searching for his purpose, living on Avenue Q with the help of his friends on the street such as Kate Monster, Rod and Nicky, will he succeed?

I wasn’t sure as to what we were going to get in the format of this concert, would it be the cast standing next to a microphone with puppets in hand singing? or something a bit more – well that it was. Although not in its home theatre, with its own set the cast and crew produced a full acting and run of the show, they adapted perfectly to the staging and it was just as perfect as the first time I saw it. The original cast themselves were brilliant and you could tell that they were loving being back in the roles that for many gave them their first step on a West End stage! The story had a few adaptions to accommodate the concert version with lack of visuals such as the Sesame Street style educational videos and Princeton’s Dream during the wedding scene. But it didn’t take away from the musical and the audience really got involved to but absolutely loved the in house jokes that was the highlights of the show, they particularly loved the improv snippets that Giles Terera gave such as answering the phone as Arron Burr and calling out Princeton for not having any legs! Sion Lloyd also had a silly moment where he forgot his lines, the audience loved it and it just made it feel like we were all part of the fun and family.

I particularly loved a small update during Dreams Come True, where in the original Nicky says in his dream he’s having about Rod ‘You look like David Hasseloff’ this afternoon he said ‘You look like Tom Hiddleston’ which made me smile, as to me it was a nod to Hayleigh as we both love Tom Hiddleston! It also was not a surprise that ‘Trump’ replaces ‘George Bush’ in the end of For Now which received a huge cheer in the finale. I, however am most intrigued as to what they might of said had he not won the election.

The full cast were on top form, Simon Lipkin’s Trekkie Monster was just as good as the first and you could tell he was enjoying every moment of being that character again along with Nicky. I was not fortunate enough to catch Julie Atherton as Kate Monster/Lucy the Slut as Claire Foster was on the night that we saw it. So I was delighted to finally catch her performance as the two characters and she did not disappoint! Jon Robyns, back in the role that I first saw him and hearing him sing all the solos was just beautiful but also another chance to really see how flexible he can be having seen him as the Phantom this year a complete contrast to that of Princeton and Rod!

There is no denying this matinee was something special, from watching them all come on stage and hug to seeing them reflect on the photo of them from the their first performances, I just wished I also booked to see the evening performance to see what else they brought with them! But to just be part of the day I was happy that I didn’t miss out on the chance to see it as well as being fortunate to have a quick selfie with Jon himself, it just showed how far we had come from 2007!

Who knows where Avenue Q will go now, it would be great to see a revival or tour at some point, but I know the rights are granted to amateur dramatic groups now. But ‘For Now’ we will just be thankful for this day!

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