Sarah Harlington | Avenue Q | Interview
Sarah Harlington plays both Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut in the new nationwide tour of Avenue Q which includes the Assembly Halls, Tunbridge Wells, between 1st-6th June. Sammi O’Neill caught up with her for Theatre South East.
Sarah Harlington
Hi Sarah, Can you tell me about your links to Tunbridge Wells?
Yes before I started on Avenue Q, I was teaching Musical Theatre at the Pauline Quirke Academy which is a school specialising in Film, TV and Musical Theatre based in both in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.
So when Avenue Q is in Tunbridge Wells at the beginning of June, will you have lots of family and friends can come to see you?
Yes, hopefully! It is great that everyone can come and see it. Some of the students who would like to come will be a bit young so obviously I will have to say they won’t be able to come but the older ones to come along I am sure. If they would like to plan a trip it will be lovely to see them
When you first auditioned for Avenue Q, had you seen it before and did you know what you’re letting yourself in for?
Yes! I saw it when it first opened in London and I’ve always wanted to do it. I thought as an actor to be in Avenue Q would be an absolutely gift because you would get to play such extreme characters.
Had you worked with puppets before?
Not at all, it was a whole new learning curve at the audition process. The first round was just to meet you and see how you get along and then the second round we met the puppets. The problem is that you have no idea if you’re going to be any good at working the puppets. I had no idea what it was going to be like.
All I could remember thinking throughout the audition was how much my arm was hurting and I didn’t want to let on. Luckily I have got used to it now
Are the puppets heavy?
No they’re not heavy. The problem is the length of time were you have to keep your arm upright in an unnatural position. It is just not something you would be used to. It was completely alien to me. At the audition they gave us exercises how to operate them and you just had to give it a go and I am so happy I was able to do it because I have always wanted to do the show
You play two characters in the show, tell me about them.
I play Kate Monster who is a gentle and lovely little thing. She is a very sweet kindergarten teacher. She has her head screwed on and she is very earnest and knows what’s right and wrong. She likes to do things properly but can she can assert herself when she needs to. She is very kind and she just wants to be loved and to find someone special. She really wants a boyfriend, someone wonderful and she deserves that.
In contrast I also play Lucy the Slut who quite frankly lives up to her name. She is amazing! She is bold, brash and sassy. The nice thing is, when you have a puppet on your hand you can believe it is the alter ego that you never had. She has a sexy voice and slinks around whereas Kate who bounces about everywhere.
It is so amazing to play two such opposing characters
There is one particular scene where Kate and Lucy talk to each other, how are you finding that?
Other than feeling a little schizophrenic it is hard to get your head around it. You learn the role on paper and you think that’s hard but I’ve got it and it’ll be okay. But then when you try to do it you have one puppets that talking that shouldn’t be, or you have the wrong voice for the wrong character. There is another actor, Jess who is holding the second puppet for me and it’s all about timing everything with her as well to make to make sure we are perfectly in sync with each other.
Normally in a musical you only have to worry about yourself, in Avenue Q, I’m worried about the the puppets on top of that as well. It is all about practise, it is getting easier and I am loving the challenge. It is a great show.
If you had a piece of advice to give your characters what would it be?
To Kate I would tell her that she is a very wonderful person who is going to go a very long way and find someone very very special.
My advice to Lucy would be to just keep it in her pants! But oh – she is a lot of fun to play.
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