London Theatre News & Reviews

The Reviews are in for Avenue Q

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Avenue Q is back in the West End, after a twenty year hiatus!

The musical comedy performed by human actors alongside hand-held puppets has been described as The Muppets meets The Simpsons, or Sesame Street for adults, as the poster hints in its small print: "Avenue Q has not been authorised or approved by The Jim Henson Company or Sesame Workshop, which have no responsibility for its content".

Currently on stage at the Shaftesbury Theatre until 29th August 2026, the critics have returned glowing reviews of the latest production:

"An illicit, profane, puppet joy, this Tony-winning legendary production revives at the Shaftesbury Theatre with hilarious offensiveness still intact." ★★★★ (The Standard).

"A musical that combines deliciously louche humour with smart lyrics." ★★★★ (The Times).

"The sweetly subversive musical" is "a feast of filth and fun." ★★★★ (The Guardian).

A "winkingly naughty jolt of hand-operated humanity." ★★★★ (The Stage).

"Refreshed, relevant and still packed with riotous earworms." ★★★★ (The Sunday Times).

"Some of the gags seem dated 20 years on but it's striking how many of the issues satirised are still keenly felt." ★★★★ (Financial Times).

"The greatest triumph of this fantastically entertaining show is how its message is as forthright now as it was then, and needed more than ever. If we can accept ourselves for who we are, then we can accept others for who they are too - and vice versa." ★★★★★ (The Arts Desk).

"Right now feels like the perfect time for an Avenue Q revival, given our age of rising costs of living and increased polarisation. These are heavy issues that affect our day-to-day lives, but exploring them using puppets gives us enough distance to laugh at our problems." ★★★★ (Radio Times).

"Bold, brilliant and unexpectedly relatable, Avenue Q hilariously captures the absurd reality of adulthood." ★★★★★ (Everything Theatre).

"With cheeky references to AI, binge-drinking and OnlyFans, the ‘Sesame Street for adults’ has returned with a hilarious bang." ★★★★ (The Telegraph).

Although Louis Chilton at The Independent disagrees: ★★ "A slick, well-performed production" but "a Gen-X time capsule that maybe should have stayed buried," as it "struggles to find relevance."

With Time Out summarising: ★★★ "if it no longer feels audacious, it is very charming."

And Fiona Mountford in The i adding ★★★★ "I didn’t expect Avenue Q’s sexy puppets to move me so much."

Overall: ★★★★

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