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Avenue Q was one of the classic ’00s musicals, a subversive comedy that mixed gritty realism – or a parody of it – with adorable Sesame Street-style puppets. The brainchild of Jeff Marx and Book of Mormon co-writer Robert Lopez , it was one of the defining musicals of its time, running for five years here and a walloping 16 years on and off-Broadway, all told.
And now it’s coming back, with the original Broadway puppets crossing over for a limited but fairly lengthy 2026 revival that will be helmed by the show’s original director Jason Moore, with a few new UK tweaks.
For those unfamiliar – and it’s been 15 year since it wrapped up its original West End run – the musical centres on Princeton, a young puppet who has just graduated with a BA in English and must now attempt to find a job in a far-flung ‘outer outer borough’ of New York. He eventually settles upon the rundown, eccentric Avenue Q, where his new friends include Kate Monster, Lucy the Slut and the Bad Idea Bears, plus the former child actor Gary Coleman, who now begrudgingly works as the superintendent in Princeton’s building. Classic songs include ‘Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist’ and ‘What Do You Do with a BA in English?’.
It’s silly, rude, funny and there’s not really been anything else like it in the years since it closed. Whether it’s dated is to be seen, but a limited return is a welcome thing and if you’re in the market for an outrageous comedy musical that isn’t The Book of Mormon again, this could be right up your avenue.
Avenue Q will be at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Mar 20-Aug 29 2026.
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