its such a shame this show is closing - i have seen it about a dozen times both here and in new york, including the first preview and that casts last performance, and also my partner and i took 25 friends to see it in the evening after our civil partnership - it was our wedding entertainment - so its a special show!

i have just booked my tickets for the last performance which i am sure will be a very special evening, especially as julie atherton will be back playing kate / lucy

on a positive note it will be good to have a playhouse back for plays again!

this is completly stupid....to get rid of a show like avenue q for calendar girls...i could take it more serously if i knew that calendar girls would last longer than the intional booking period. Why is the west end loosing great shows like this and putting in shows that wont get even hal the amount of interest?

ITS ALL DOWN TO THE OLYMIPICS!!!!

It had a good run. It'll be a shame to see it go, but it's nice to see a musical come into the West End and not give up the ghost and close early after a couple of months. Hell, it's nice to see *anything* come into the West End and not give up the ghost and close early after a couple of months these days. XD Methinks I'll have to step up and see it again before it closes. I have fond memories of this show. :3

Yes loved this show too, must try and see it again before it closes. However, it has had a good run and I'm generally against shows running for years and clogging up theatres so new shows can't get into town. Calendar Girls has had a tremendously successful tour - sold out everywhere and is touring for a further six weeks after Christmas before going into the WE. Will a WE audience like it as much as in the provinces?

Is there a chance of the show touring?

I think you may have hit the nail on the head!

It certainly strikes me as the type of show that would do very well on tour.
Personally, I don't know what all the fuss over Julie Atherton is about but hey, different strokes and all that.

What date is it closing?

Very sad to be losing the show from London, but I think you're right -- it's a perfect show to tour as it's a (relatively) small cast and small set... I can see it being very successful.

28th March 2009

At least there's plenty of time to go see it once or twice more. Terrible shame though, I'm sure Calendar girls is going to be very good, I've heard nothing bad about it at all, but still......Avenue Q is superb.

Well that's very true - plenty of notice given to visit a few more times!

I just saw it for a second time last week and hope it will tour after it closes in London.

It's been an interesting success story. A comparatively low-budget show, reasonably priced, lacking spectacle and using a cast of completely unknown performers, and it recoups with ease. Other West End shows that pile on the spectacle and the celebrities and close at a hefty loss should take heed of Avenue Q's example.


So am I. Theatre is inherently ephemeral, and there's something unhealthy about shows that run for decades and about people who think they should never close.

Surprised its lasted this long. Yyes was entertaining (tho i don't know how anyone could watch it more than once) but I understand it usually plays to a fairly empty theatre and tickets are ALWAYS on offer. Cheapest musical tickets in town isnt it

I've been twice and it's been full each time. It is cheap - which is probably why. I'm really sad about this. It's affordable, a lot of fun and full of great actors and singers. I will definitely have to go again, maybe on the last night.

stalls? or both circles too?

Although I'm a huge fan of this show, I do think it's about time it closed. It's no Phantom or Les Mis, so I could never see it running for a very long time.

On the subject of how full the theatre normally is, I was told by a friend that they started closing off the balcony after the final OLC cast members left because ticket sales fell. And a lot of the time, the stalls and dress circle are full, but only the front half of the royal circle ever has people sat in it. I don't know how legitimate that actually is though.

Stil, would be nice to see it again before it closes I think...

Am I hearing this correctly? People are criticising about the cheap ticket prices of this show? This show has always been running on quite a gd amount of audiences each night and I think the ticket prices are VERY reasonable. What's wrong with being affordable? Having affordable prices now implies that the show's doing badly?? wtf ~

I am very sad the show's closing and I don't think the show should close NOT because it's no Phantom or Les Mis (the first really should've closed by now!) but because shows like Buddy or Dirty Dancing are still around and definitely not a better show than Avenue Q! I know I know... life is unfair (that's what all Avenue Q is all about) but still... would've loved to see it stay longer in the West End! But I guess it's a decent run for a West End show nowadays ~

It was always the policy of the show to offer cheap tickets (especially mid-week) to try and entice young people (its target audience) into seeing it.

Although Ave Q would be a very simple show to tour I am not sure it would bring in the audiences. Matinee shows on tour are usually full of OAP's and school kids. I don't think either of this group would appreciate the humour of this show.

Not so sure either, mind you I had previously taken my Gran along to see Ave Q and she really enjoyed it and went along with an open mind, she really enjoyed it. I think that Matinee shows used to be full of old people but it does depend on which theatre you go to and what the show is, maybe a wednesday matinee yes but saturday haven't really experienced loads of old people - for example 'Our House' matinee had quite a younger crowd (teenage through to late 30's/early 40's) so I think it might depend on a few things - if it did tour I reckon it would do a later matinee or even no matinee, late matinees are awkward if you are travelling! I hope it does tour, shame it isn't staying in London..very sad!

They could just do 5pm friday and Saturday matinees like they do now, shows like Flashdance, Footloose, Witchs of Eastwick do it. Although even with this im not sure how big an audience it would draw. Especially when you consider teh size of some regional venues in the big cities

I agree a lot of touring shows now do a friday 5pm matinee followed by an 8pm show (grease and Joseph are always doing this) and then again matinees at 2pm or 3pm on a saturday! there are loads of people that want to see avenue q but just simply cant afford a trip to London! I know both my Mum and Nan would love Ave Q

I think the assumption that old people wouldn't like Avenue Q is completely wrong. Some of the filthiest, bawdiest people I know are on the silver side of life. Personally, I think it would do superbly on tour.

In case you hadn't noticed, schoolkids have the most perverted sense of humour of all people. Especially teenagers, but also younger children would GET this show muchmore than a middleaged snob....

I don't think a tour is a great idea for Avenue Q.

Also, I reckon that despite announcing it will not be extending beyond the end of its period, it will still announce early closure notices. Look at the timing: they've planned the turnaround and tech for CG in only a few days and although it can be done in theory, you'd think there'd be at least a week between the two. Yeah, I reckon it'll go earlier than announced and if it does, it won't survive it critically. If it doesn't get good numbers on a tour, it'll just have 'failed West End musical' slapped all over it, and that would be criminal for a show that so many people have such great memories of in London. I reckon leave it as it is.

Yeah, I reckon it'll go earlier than announced and if it does, it won't survive it critically.

After two years!

Don't be daft.

Have you seen the new UK website? www.avenue-q.co.uk

the new look site is great...makes me wonder why the did it with it closing!!!! hmmmmmmm tour perhaps?

Nonsense CG has been touring since chichester and does not need a long get in They are well practised at moving in fast - and there are then previews in London

And after two years, two weeks closing early will not affect the possible tour at all

eeeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm wat is CG?

CG = Calendar Girls which moves into the Noel Coward immediately after AQ (Avenue Q !!!!) departs.

Well i'm a Granny and i took my Grandchildren (age range 14 - 17) last Thurs.
My stomach hurt from laughing so much (as did theirs)!
The Scrumps (that's what i call my G.kids) all loved it.
Just because we get past 65 it doesn't mean we petrify, I've shagged a few rockers in my time and can appreciate adult humour just as much as the younger generation!!
I will be phoning my friends in other parts of the counry to let them know it's on the way, why should London have all the fun!!!!