In a matter of weeks, hit show Avenue Q will be returning to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin.
This coming-of-age satire, based on the much-loved children’s show Sesame Street, has become a hit on Broadway and the West End, winning numerous awards along the way.
We caught up with two of the stars, Will Hawksworth (who plays Princeton and Rod) and Stephen Arden (who plays Trekkie Monster and Nicky), to talk about being a puppet and having a laugh…
What attracted you to Avenue Q?
Will: I think, apart from the fact it’s a job, Avenue Q is definitely an iconic show. Ten years ago, when it opened off Broadway, it broke the mould for me in terms of musicals. When you go to musical theatre, you expect songs and dance, lots of applause and hummable tunes. But Avenue Q introduced a new aspect which was the puppetry and people immediately fell in love with it. It took people back to watching daytime television but yet you can enjoy it as much now as when you were a kid. I think it’s a really well-known show, it’s well respected and when you say you’re in it, people say ‘oh it’s brilliant, I love that show’. That’s the reaction you like to get.
Stephen: When I first saw the show, I just wanted to know how they did it and I wanted to do it. When the opportunity arose to come and be a part of it, it was a joy. An absolute joy.
What kind of preparation have you had to do?
S: We had to go to puppetry school which was a day-long lesson in the different skills to use the puppet. Then we had to practise working in the mirror so we could see what the puppets were doing in relation to ourselves. That and a lot of hand stretches to make sure we don’t cramp up. Our job is to make it look easy and effortless and I think that has to come across. If the audience is totally engaged with the puppets, then we’re doing our job right.
How has it differed to your other roles?
W: I think for me it was a question of what if we took the puppets away? For the whole two hours, you never look anyone in the eye. There are four puppeteers onstage as well as three human characters but you never look anyone in the eye and I think if you took the puppets away, we’d all freeze because you’re so used to interacting with somebody on that level. If we took the puppets away, you don’t have that aspect to hide behind. You don’t have your pal.
S: Most of the cast are trained in musical theatre. You learn how to sing, dance and act all at the same time but now you have the puppetry aspect of it and you have to translate your skills into just your arm. It’s a bit like rubbing your stomach and patting your head while doing a tap dance upside-down and drinking a glass of water. It took a lot longer to rehearse this show than it did any other.
Are you feeling the pressure because it’s been so successful?
W: Absolutely. It did so well on Broadway, it did so well on the West End and it created actors’ careers. But it’s not about following in people’s footsteps, it’s about doing the show justice. At its heart, the show is a lot of heart. There are jokes, there are funny scenes and there’s some naughtiness. It’s a really good show that people can go to see and walk away from feeling great.
S: It’s so easy to notice when it’s not right that if the audience for a second think the puppet didn’t speak or that was wrong, you’ve lost them. They’ve got to fully believe that the character is real.
Who will the show appeal to?
W: I think there’s probably something in the show for everybody to like. There’s a definite audience which will enjoy the whole show, the Family Guy generation that appreciate that kind of humour, the wit, the sarcasm, the innuendo. But I think there are tender moments with some of the characters struggling with big life issues and decisions. There are relationship and work problems. People who come along will identify with at least one thing. What Sesame Street was for kids, this show is for the 25-year-old generation who are out of university but have this pressure to be successful. The message at the end of the show is it’s going to be okay and it will eventually work out.
What is your favourite number in the show?
S: Because I play Trekkie Monster, for me it’s The Internet is for Porn. I just get to enjoy the audience’s reaction to that and the raucous laughter that comes with it because he’s a big bumbling character and what he says is so unbelievably inappropriate but true.
W: I like all the big numbers. For me there are three: Special which is the stereotypical jazz hands number; Loud which is everyone on stage doing something different; The More You Ruv Someone is a great ballad which is hysterical but has a lovely message behind it.
You both play two characters but who is your favourite?
W: I used to like Princeton more than Rod because I didn’t connect with Rod and I liked Princeton because he was fresh out of college and naive. Now I’ve started to like Rod a little more because he is a real character with all these quirks that people can fall in love with and recognise in their own friends.
S: I have a love thing for Trekkie because you can get away with murder when you play him, which the other characters can’t. I find some form of joy in each of the characters that I play.
Can you describe Avenue Q in three words?
S: Witty. Heartfelt. Outrageous.
Avenue Q is returning to the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre next month from Tuesday August 5th until Saturday August 9th.
