Before Wednesday night, I was very excited to see Avenue Q. I’d heard such wonderful things from many different people who had seen the show one, two or even three times before. The anticipation had been building, and I was prepared to see the show of my life. Unfortunately, Avenue Q just wasn’t that show. The raunchy humor I was so eagerly waiting for ultimately made me feel uncomfortable at its worst and bored at its best.
The show follows recent college graduate Princeton to a divey neighborhood on Avenue Q in New York City. Princeton searches for his purpose on his new street, and meets new friends who have also lost their ways. Two-thirds of the characters are puppets, including Princeton, which gives the musical charm similar to that of Sesame Street. However, ultimately the musical fell flat for me by relying on shock value for its jokes, which I just didn’t find funny. There were some touching moments, and the singing was phenomenal, but at the end of the day, songs like “The Internet Is For Porn” got old fast. If you’re someone who enjoys off-color humor, and doesn’t over analyze jokes, then I’d still suggest this show for you, but otherwise I would give it a pass.
