We spy a fair few kidlets in tonight's audience; despite the fact that Avenue Q is definitely a musical puppet show for adults (sexual positions as demonstrated by puppets, anyone?). In Avenue Q, the 'landlord' Gary Coleman (yep, this character is based on the late Diff'rent Strokes actor) is played by a woman (Zuleikah Khan), which seems totally believable in this slummy apartment block setting. Puppets live alongside adults — singing catchy songs such as It Sucks To Be Me, If You Were Gay, Everyone's A Little Bit Racist and The Internet Is For Porn — triggering constant LOLs. When un-PC subjects are dissected via the mouths of puppets, this somehow grants us full permission to guffaw. Puppeteers are unconcealed, although sometimes a puppet's voice isn't supplied by its corresponding puppeteer, which can be confusing.
Short animation pieces are interspersed throughout the show a la Sesame Street ('One Night Stand', as in a single piece of bedside furniture, geddit?) and not a single opportunity for humour escapes ("Monsterssori School", Trump reference). There are no weak links among the cast; each clearly inspired by surrounding talent. Some standout performances tonight include Bad Idea Bears (Vincent Hooper and Lulu McClatchy), Christmas Eve (Sun Park) and Trekkie (Hooper). If getting thrust into Wrongtown tickles your fancy, set your GPS to Avenue Q and book tickets immediately.
