Avenue Q
★★★★☆ Storming
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge (Venue 7): Fri 7 – Sun 30 Aug 2026
Review by Ed Boulter-Comer
Avenue Q at Braw Venue @ Grand Lodge for the whole Fringe is a piece that crackles with the energy of people who believe in what they are doing and are loving doing it.
The cast is a pro-am mix of enthusiasts, recent theatre graduates and those who will be off to train after the Fringe; and all of them can really sing.
A scene from Avenue Q. Pic: Becca Phillips.
In this very adult pastiche of Sesame Street, some performers appear as humans, whilst others embody the puppet they carry. The story follows recent and very wet-behind the ears college graduate Princeton and his new neighbours, when he lands up on Avenue Q looking for a job and home.
Marc Robertson’s performance is compelling as leading puppet Princeton. His nasal, American tone suits the naive character perfectly and his puppetry is such that the actor himself genuinely melts into the background.
Jessica Grant’s puppet for his new neighbour Kate Monster is a little trickier to animate due to the flat design of its mouth. That is forgiven and forgotten when Grant opens her own mouth to sing. Hers is a storming vocal and an absolute highlight of the evening.
well judged bromance
Perhaps even more the heart of the production than the classic leads, is the well judged bromance between slacker Nicky and his uptight, Republican-leaning investment banker room-mate Rod.
Jacob Pettifer’s Nicky is full of expression, with particularly good use of the puppet’s hands and a tender innocence to his dialogue. Newcomer Euan Brown’s initially stiff performance as Rod gives way to full-throttled exuberance – certainly an actor to keep an eye out for in the future. This is very well-judged.
A scene from Avenue Q. Pic: Becca Phillips.
Billy Rooney shows off his long-term commitment to the role of reclusive, internet-obsessed Trekkie Monster and hits the voice, puppetry and unnerving frankness of the character perfectly in another highlight.
Some of the “human” performances are a little more muted, with Meng Zhu’s Christmas Eve having some pitching issues and Josie Morrow’s former child actor Gary Coleman taking a while to warm up. David Hastie gives a cuddle of a performance as Christmas Eve’s fiance, the hapless comedian Brian, and is gently sweet throughout.
efficient and pacy
Backed by Sound Events Scotland, Musical Director Lewis Lithgow has primed the cast excellently with patter songs and ballads alike landing skilfully. Ryan Buist’s direction is efficient and pacy, whipping through the scenes, with comic timing on point throughout. His direction of the professional looking puppets in particular, shows off his ability.
Puppets aside, there is a homespun feeling to the production. The point here is not to show the company’s spending power but its talent. The team behind Avenue Q have talent in spades.
Running time: 2hrs 5min (including one interval).
Braw Venues @ Grand Lodge (Lower Hall), 96 George Street EH2 3DH (Venue 7).
Friday 7 – Sunday 30 August 2026.
Daily: 8.50pm.
Tickets and details: Book here at EdFringe.com.
Instagram: @avenueq.fringe26
The Cast of Avenue Q. 2026. Pic: Becca Phillips.
ENDS
