Review: (5/5) Avenue Q The Farewell Run @ The Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium RCBC Plaza
I saw the show last June 19. Posted this review over at my Multiply site.
***
Schadenfraude, is a new word I learned after watching Avenue Q. Happiness at the misfortune of others or people taking pleasure in your pain was explained effectively in a song number by a puppet and Gary Coleman. Yes, the small (Excuse me, vertically challenged) black dude who is the butt of many jokes.
This 2004 Tony winner for Best Musical was staged in Manila at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at RCBC Plaza in Makati by Atlantis Productions. This is the last run here in the Philippines before the show transfers to the Esplanade in Singapore.
For those who don’t know, Avenue Q is a lampoon of a ‘kid’s educational show’, Sesame Street first comes to mind, and uses it as a frame to tackle adult issues such as being gay, racism, purpose, what the internet really is for and more. So learning a new word wasn’t a surprise, right?
Each subject matter is usually assigned song numbers, which are written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Irreverence and being non-PC is the selling point here, and in an age of South Park, it what carries the show. With song titles like, “The Internet is for Porn” and “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist” there’s a whole lot of laughs. The plot is thin though, but it’s not really the point.
What I really like about it is how everyday problems that young adults face are very neatly discussed and addressed. Sure they’re being parodied, but isn’t that what we should do? Laugh at the serious matters, and take them lightly?
Like Sesame Street, the characters are played by a mix of humans and puppets. Some actors play dual roles and multiple puppets, which clearly illustrate their talent and versatility, and the Manila cast is no exception.
Carla Guevara (who replaced Rachel Alejandro from the first two runs), together with Aiza Seguerra, Joel Trinidad, Frenchie Dy, Rycharde Everley, Tenee Chan and Felix Rivera all gave excellent performances. The cast might as well perform on a bare stage and it still would’ve worked.
I expected the music to be canned, but was pleasantly surprised and pleased to learn that a live band accompanied the cast, though during the curtain calls they were only shown on a TV screen.
All in all, Avenue Q was an entertaining night at the theatre. It’s not your traditional musical, and the South Park style humor may be off-putting to older purists. But if it gets more Filipinos to watch theatre, I’m all for it.
***
Schadenfraude, is a new word I learned after watching Avenue Q. Happiness at the misfortune of others or people taking pleasure in your pain was explained effectively in a song number by a puppet and Gary Coleman. Yes, the small (Excuse me, vertically challenged) black dude who is the butt of many jokes.
This 2004 Tony winner for Best Musical was staged in Manila at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium at RCBC Plaza in Makati by Atlantis Productions. This is the last run here in the Philippines before the show transfers to the Esplanade in Singapore.
For those who don’t know, Avenue Q is a lampoon of a ‘kid’s educational show’, Sesame Street first comes to mind, and uses it as a frame to tackle adult issues such as being gay, racism, purpose, what the internet really is for and more. So learning a new word wasn’t a surprise, right?
Each subject matter is usually assigned song numbers, which are written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx. Irreverence and being non-PC is the selling point here, and in an age of South Park, it what carries the show. With song titles like, “The Internet is for Porn” and “Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist” there’s a whole lot of laughs. The plot is thin though, but it’s not really the point.
What I really like about it is how everyday problems that young adults face are very neatly discussed and addressed. Sure they’re being parodied, but isn’t that what we should do? Laugh at the serious matters, and take them lightly?
Like Sesame Street, the characters are played by a mix of humans and puppets. Some actors play dual roles and multiple puppets, which clearly illustrate their talent and versatility, and the Manila cast is no exception.
Carla Guevara (who replaced Rachel Alejandro from the first two runs), together with Aiza Seguerra, Joel Trinidad, Frenchie Dy, Rycharde Everley, Tenee Chan and Felix Rivera all gave excellent performances. The cast might as well perform on a bare stage and it still would’ve worked.
I expected the music to be canned, but was pleasantly surprised and pleased to learn that a live band accompanied the cast, though during the curtain calls they were only shown on a TV screen.
All in all, Avenue Q was an entertaining night at the theatre. It’s not your traditional musical, and the South Park style humor may be off-putting to older purists. But if it gets more Filipinos to watch theatre, I’m all for it.