Cressida Carré is the director and choreographer of the upcoming nationwide tour of Avenue Q which will play at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells, 1st-6th June. Sammi O’Neill caught up with her to ask her what is like directing a show with both actors and puppets.
Cressida Carré
When did you first get involved in Avenue Q?
I got involved in Avenue Q when Sell-a-Door Theatre Company obtained the rights for the show and asked me to be involved. It was approximately September 2013 about four months before we started rehearsals for the last tour.
Had you ever worked with puppets before?
Not really, I had been involved in a show called ‘Soul Music’ which did have two puppets in it, a bird and a rat, but they had a puppeteer. They did not need directing and so I had very little to do with them.
Had you seen Avenue Q before?
Believe it or not, I had never seen it! I hadn’t seen the West End or the previous tour at all. I knew the music and even had friends in it but hadn’t had the opportunity to go. So I felt it was even more of a challenge when they asked me.
I have seen both the West End production and the last touring production. Was it hard putting your own mark on the touring production?
Well of course the story is there. The script is exactly the same and there are quite a lot of set pieces. However a few bits of the show needed some changes to make it work better on tour. So my show is slightly different to the West End version. At the end of the day it is the same story and the same framework but it was great to have the opportunity to put my stamp on it.
What is like working not only with actors but with puppets as well and make them work in perfect harmony.
Yes it was difficult. When I first started, I knew it was going to be a challenge not having worked with puppets before, but I didn’t quite appreciate the work that goes into them. It is just incredible to watch.
By the end of rehearsals, manipulating the puppets becomes second nature to the actors and it’s amazing how although you know someone is there you are drawn to watch the puppets and only focus on them. The puppets are all different, they are worked with either one rod, two rods or in the case of Nicky and Trekkie worked by two different people who both have to move with such rhythm to work as one character. Yes, it is quite incredible to watch the actors grow as we go through rehearsals.
Do some of the actors struggle at first?
Yes, I don’t think we have anybody who found it easy at first. They have to learn the techniques and some struggle more than others, but everybody gets there in the end.
The auditions are quite strict. Nigel Plaskitt (Puppetry Coach) is with us at the auditions and he will say if he doesn’t think somebody will be able to get where they need to be with the puppet. It is hard for the actors and you can see their frustration because they are acting and singing but now they have a puppet on their hand to cope with as well!
One of the things I find most fascinating when I watch Avenue Q is when the puppets are transferred between one actor to another.
Absolutely and that is another skill the actors have to learn. Jessica Parker who is the ‘second hand’ manipulating Nicky, Trekkie and Mrs T is involved with absolutely every single puppet. You wouldn’t know, because everything is so seamless. The actors are required to change characters constantly, from Princeton to Rod, Lucy to Kate, and Trekkie to Nicky. It is a real skill.
To get involved in the tour a second time you must really have enjoyed working with the show.
Yes, I absolutely love it, it is definitely a huge challenge which I love but also to come back to a show which I had such fun doing last year. We laughed every day at rehearsals. The show is so funny. We have some newcomers in the cast this time and also some who did the last tour so it is a nice mix of people. I love the challenge of getting the show ready to go on tour.
There are a lot of ‘naughty’ characters in Avenue Q. Trekkie, Lucy, the Bad Idea Bears does the audience ever get offended?
Someone said once that a couple walked out on the last tour but certainly I’ve never seen that happen. I think that the offence that could possibly be taken is wiped out because it’s coming from such adorable creatures. There is no agenda to Avenue Q, it is very simple and straightforward and very entertaining. People like me grew up with Sesame Street and Muppets which dealt with important issues but Avenue Q is definitely not a children’s show, it has adult language and themes. It still gives messages but takes them one step further. I think the script is so very cleverly written. The characters still talk about truth and honesty so the messages still come through very strongly.
Do you do you have a favourite character and why?
It is also difficult because they are also wonderful. Kate Monster is utterly adorable she is so proper and then gets her heart broken but thankfully it is all fine in the end. Of course there is Trekkie, who I think is my favourite. He is so naughty and funny, he just needs to look at me and then I start to laugh!
If you had a bit of advice to give to one of the characters what would it be?
Oh golly that’s a hard one. I think I would tell Princeton not to worry so much as it always works out in the end.
Avenue Q will be at the Assembly Halls Tunbridge Wells from 1st – 6th June 2015.
Booking Details Here
It is also playing at other theatres in the South East, for full details and tour dates please
click here.