Connected the Musical - Edinburgh Fringe

First impressions are EVERYTHING (literally)

Waiting for the show in Pleasance Courtyard

I've never been to Edinburgh Fringe before, and with the amount of shows and acts on filling up a yellow pages sized booklet, it wasn't surprising that I was a bit overwhelmed and lost for what to choose to see first. I have a thing for musicals (I might have mentioned that a bit earlier when I reviewed Avenue Q) so, without too much of a second thought, I quickly flipped to the correct page. There were loads of musicals that caught my eye, but what really interested me was this one: Connected the Musical. From glancing over the blurb, I gathered it was a modern musical performed by an Australian group that focused on cyber bullying in a high school setting.

Well, despite being a immature adult now, I still feel emotionally attached to my teenage years. So, Connected it was.

And I have to say, I was deeply impressed. There were only four actors, all looking quite a few years younger than me (which simultaneously made me feel very untalented). The singing was incredible, and the acting was equally as brilliant, but what really topped it off for me was, quite honestly, the story itself. Without being overly complicated, the play presented the reality of the dangers that anyone, even the most innocent of all users, can face while surfing the internet. Once you upload something it can travel through cyberspace faster than the speed of light. Heard of the phrase "gone viral"? That's what happened here. And lies can quickly become the truth. Needless to say, it really does affect your image and what other people will think of you. The culprits may eventually get caught, but the damage they caused is irremovable, and the scars they leave are everlasting.

Moral of the story

Although the plot was based on online gossip within high school, I think its message can definitely apply outside of this context. There's no other way of phrasing it than using the old fashioned way:

Think twice before you speak - be cautious on the web when you're "Connected".

Review - Avenue Q

Monday night - Sunderland Empire

At the Theatre

I think one of the best things about living in the North East is that despite being far from the capital of musicals in England (i.e. London), there are still opportunities to watch top-class performances in one of the local theatres. On this occasion (Monday 14^th July at 7:30pm to be more precise), we (i.e. myself and my significant other) decided to go for the comedy/ musical, Avenue Q, at majestic and extravagant, Sunderland Empire Theatre.

Normally, I opt for shows that are more, shall we say, glitzy and more dazzling in terms of special effects. I also wasn’t sure if I was super keen on the puppet and human mix that made up that characters of the show. Plus I have a thing for songs that evoke Disney and other musical numbers that are slightly more geared for a younger audience. So in truth, I was a bit sceptical about the play at first.

What can I say? I’m still (and ALWAYS will be) a child at heart.

Despite my scepticism, I decided to give the show a go because I hadn’t seen it before (plus my significant other said he’d drive me home and buy me dinner << now who can resist that?).

And honestly, I couldn’t have made a better decision.

I don’t think there was a single moment during the performance that I wasn’t blown away by some aspect of it. I know that most theatre reviews commonly start with summarizing the main plot of the play. But I for one would like to begin by giving praise to the actors themselves. There weren’t many of them, so I thought that their ability to portray so many different characters, both human and puppet, and in so many different voices was truly incredible. The story itself was also admirable – with the theme of adulthood thoroughly reiterated throughout the play, Avenue Q provided the audience with a performance that addressed the many issues and troubles faced by individuals entering this period. A highly realistic show, it was simultaneously tied together by a stream of jokes and sarcasm, overall indicating that despite the hardship, there’s still hope and time for laughter at any stage in life.

Oh and did I mention that we got upgraded to better seats? Totally worth it.

Sensational and memorable – if Avenue Q is ever on tour in your town, be sure to watch it.