Avenue Q (Caution! Not suitable for little monsters)
16th - 21st May 2016 Milton Keynes Theatre

Avenue Q is the Tony award winning work of author Jeff Whitty and songwriters Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx.

The mixing of puppets and humans on stage is quite hard to do, but Avenue Q do it so well.  It's a Sesame Street for adults!  There's even the same little video clips to help you understand the meaning of some of the words...Commitment, Purpose and Schadenfreude!?

It's Princeton (Richard Lowe) fresh from graduating from university, clutching his English BA Hons scroll in his hand, who goes in search of his "purpose" and finds himself on Avenue Q.

When there's nowhere available to live that's affordable, loveable Princeton arrives at Avenue Q...here he meets big hearted Kate Monster (Sarah Harlington) who has a dream to open a school especially for little monsters so they won't be bullied just because they have fur. Will there be romance in the air for these two?

 A "Bert and Ernie" type couple live there too, Rod who's a closet gay and his straight room mate Nicky (who knows he's really gay...) and there's also an out of work would be comedian Brian (Richard Morse) and his fiancé Christmas Eve (Arina II) who both incidentally, are not puppets...with me so far?

You've got to just love the perverted Trekki Monster (Stephen Arden) the lyrics to "The Internet is for Porn" just made the audience howl with laughter!



I wasn't really sure about the character of the superintendent in charge of Avenue Q as it's based on Gary Coleman (the child actor in Different Strokes) Even though  Etisyai Philip had a great voice and acted well - It's really about how long this character can stay as I'm sure there will be many in the audience that won't remember who he was and so won't get the jokes that surround him?

The story of Avenue Q is not an epic, basic boy meets girl - but it's the lyrics to the songs make you not only laugh out loud but think along the way too..."My life Sucks, If you were Gay and Everyone's a little bit Racist"

This show will definitely divide the crowd - Avenue Q relies on shock humour,  not everywhere will you hear puppets swearing like troopers or having puppet sex on stage...

The set is simple but well thought out, the band are a great accompaniment to the fantastic acting, singing and puppetry skills of all the performers on stage. 

If you fancy a chuckle...you will find it on Avenue Q!

Lily B x

Tickets are on sale now!  Book at Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office, call 0844 871 7652 (booking fee) or visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes (booking fee)

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang - Milton Keynes Theatre, 4th - 14th May 2016

Ian Flemming's Chitty Citty Bang Bang has to be one of the most loved musicals of all time and it has landed at Milton Keynes Theatre!

There is only one word which fits this utterly brilliant show...FANTASMAGORICAL!

Despite having a hoard of stars in this production, it's Chitty that steals the limelight.

When the dilapidated famous old racing car, Chitty emerges from the inventors garage all gleaming and new, the audience broke into spontaneous applause - it was truly a childhood memory moment for us all...and the children in the audience loved her too!

Lee Mead is a wonderful Caractacus Potts, playing the broken hearted eccentric inventor well.

His scenes with his on stage children Jeremy (Henry Kent) and Jemima (Lucy Sherman) were wonderful, very touching and Mead's vocal talent is undeniable.

Both Potts children were fantastic, totally charming in all of their scenes.  I loved the wonderful Truly Scrumptious song with Carrie Hope Fletcher as Truly.  Carrie gave a lovely, sweet and innocent performance, she was enchanting.

The child catcher, Matt Gillett was eerie (as he should be) I was always scared as a child when he appeared!

The Baron "Bomby" and his wife the Baroness played by Shaun Williamson and Michelle Collins both of Easters fame, were fantastic and as eccentric as you would expect.  They both gave great performances with Williamson showing his inner child and Collins her sultry child hating characters to a T.



Andy Hockley as Grandpa Potts was brilliant as were the Vulgarian spies Boris (Sam Harrison) and Goran (Scott Paige).  They were hysterical and had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands.

The set is simple but so clever, it gives space for Chitty to spread her wings and fly across the stage.  With the clever usage of video projection behind her you would believe it was real - sheer theatre magic!

The choreography by Stephen Mear was fabulous, especially the "Me Ol' Bamboo" number and "Doll on a Music box", all accompanied by the extremely talented live band.

All in all, this is a truly scrumptious production and I couldn't help myself singing along to the title song "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" at the end!

A wonderful night at the theatre that simply cannot be missed.

Enjoy!

Lily B X

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE ANNOUNCE SUMMER SEASON BLOCKBUSTERS – ON SALE NOW!

Gangsters, lovers, puppets, soldiers, murderers, stockings, rock ‘n’ roll and even a flying car are just a few of the treats in store for you as Milton Keynes Theatre announces their full summer season for 2016.

The season gets off to a flying start as the most fantasmagorical stage musical in the history of everything, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang lands on the MK Stage.  Starring Lee Mead, Michelle Collins, Shaun Williamson and Carrie Hope Fletcher audiences of all ages are guaranteed to be flying high!

Musical fans can look forward to more classics as Joe McElderry retells the biblical story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Guys and Dolls brings the sizzling tale of New York gamblers and gangsters direct from the West-End with Richard Fleeshman, Maxwell Cauldfield and the sensational Louise Dearman.

You can bet your bottom dollar the whole family will enjoy a night out with Lesley Joseph as the tyrannical Miss Hannigan in the heart-warming Annie and you’re bound to be moonwalking in the aisles to celebrate the career of the one and only Michael Jackson with Thriller Live. 

The theatres annual Stage Experience offers the chance for you to see over 100 local youngsters perform in a professionally produced adaptation of Fame, make sure you book to see these musical stars of the future treading the boards!

For those of you who like something a little naughtier, dig out your stockings and don the red lippy for the return of Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show with Norman Pace and Diana Vickers here to thrill you again or join the equally subversive world of Avenue Q (think the Muppets for grown-ups!) for mischief, bad behaviour and political incorrectness.

Selling fast are comedians Sean Lock with his Keep It Light Tour and Bill Bailey with Limboland so make sure you book early to avoid disappointment.

Take a trip down memory lane as contagious rock musical Sunny Afternoon with music and lyrics from Ray Davies brings the music of The Kinks to the stage to tell the captivating tale of one of the nation’s greatest bands whose definitive sound rocked the nation. Return to the sixties as Save the Last Dance takes you back to the music and magic of the early part of the decade with Anthony Costa. 

A duo of dramas will stop off at Milton Keynes prior to the West End…After Miss Julie brings to life the compelling and erotic psychological thriller inspired by Stridberg’s 1888 masterpiece with Call the midwife’s Helen George while one of Noel Coward’s deliciously funny plays Present Laughter, starring Samuel West, reveals a world of glittering wits, dashing dressing gowns and ostentatious personalities.

For murder and intrigue look no further as The Classic Thriller Theatre Company brings the ultimate whodunit in a star studded Rehearsal For Murder bound to keep you guessing right to the last minute.

For one night only music lovers can enjoy Jools Holland with his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, Russell Watson, Halfway to Paradise – The Billy Fury Story, That’ll be the Day, The Simon and Garfunkel Story, Whitney - Queen of the Night, The Magic of Motown, and Mercury – The Ultimate Tribute Band.

Looking ahead to the Autumn, but on sale now, don’t miss Georgia May Foote in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the all new production of divine musical comedy Sister Act with Alexandra Burke, the return of firm favourite Cats, the hilarious and heartfelt The Full Monty, hit West End musical The Commitments, our annual visits from Glyndebourne and English National Ballet.

This year’s Purr-fect family pantomime Dick Whittington (oh yes it is!)

Tickets are on sale now!  Book at Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office, call 0844 871 7652 (booking fee) or visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes (booking fee)