It is hard to believe it has been so many years since Avenue Q first arrived on our shores, but the cheeky puppets are back in London for a special anniversary run. This new production feels just as fresh and funny as it did the first time around. It might look like a children's television show, but the jokes are definitely for adults, covering everything from unemployment to complicated relationships.
The cast is excellent and brings a huge amount of energy to the stage. Noah Harrison is great as Princeton, the recent graduate looking for his purpose in life, and he also does a fantastic job playing the closeted Rod. Emily Benjamin switches effortlessly between the sweet Kate Monster and the much bolder Lucy the Slut. Their puppetry skills are so good that you quickly forget there are humans standing right there on stage with them.
Charlie McCullagh gets plenty of laughs as Trekkie Monster and Nicky, while Dionne Ward-Anderson brings a lot of fun to the role of Gary. The songs, written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, remain incredibly catchy. Tunes like Everyone's a Little Bit Racist and If You Were Gay still manage to push buttons while making the audience laugh out loud. The direction by Jason Moore keeps the pace moving quickly, and the set design makes you feel like you really are on a run-down street in New York.
While some of the humour is quite close to the mark, the show has a big heart.
Underneath the puppets and the rude jokes, there is a very relatable story about growing up and finding your way in the world. It is a joy to see the original Broadway puppets being used here, as they add an extra layer of quality to the production.
If you want a night out that is both hilarious and surprisingly moving, this limited season is well worth a visit.
It is a brilliant reminder of why this show became such a hit in the first place.
It runs until 29 August. Tickets: here.
Photos: Matt Crockett