Genre: Musical Comedy
Opened 28 June 2006
Written: Music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx , Book by Jeff Whitty
Directed: Jason Moore
Cast: Jon Robyns (Princeton and Rod), Ann Harada (Christmas Eve), Simon Lipkin (Nicky and Trekkie Monster), Julie Atherton (Kate Monster and Lucy The Slut), Clare Foster (Mrs T.) , Sion Lloyd (Brian), Giles Terera (Job)
Synopsis: AVENUE Q is not the most upmarket of New York streets, and is about as far away from Park Avenue as you can get, but it is home to some lively and off the wall characters performed by an unholy comedic alliance of humans and puppets! Princeton, a bright-eyed college graduate, has just moved to this neighbourhood as he desperately tries to follow his dreams and discover his ever-elusive purpose in life. A tiny bank balance, the distraction of a busty blonde and a variety of weird and wonderful friends and neighbours lead Princeton on a hilarious story of self-discovery. Life may suck on AVENUE Q but being jobless, homeless, politically incorrect, having sex (whether hetero, homo or porno… and that’s just the puppets) are just some of the topics featured in the songs of this show.

What the critics had to say about the show when it opened at the Noel Coward Theatre in 2006.....
MICHAEL BILLINGTON for THE GUARDIAN says, "it had delighted me sufficiently...Much of the show's charm lies in the easy interaction of people and puppets...There is more wit than whimsy in the delightful Lopez-Marx numbers." PAUL TAYLOR for THE INDEPENDENT says, "What's appealing about the piece and Jason Moore's bouncy, enjoyable production is the total absence of jaded cynicism. What's less attractive is the lack of real bite...Avenue Q is about as genuinely subversive as Friends...All the same, I found it, intermittently, a lot of fun." DOMINIC CAVENDISH for THE DAILY TELEGRAPH says, "Light-weight affair." BENEDICT NIGHTINGALE for THE TIMES says, "There’s something almost refreshing in several of the jaunty-sounding songs." NICK CURTIS for THE EVENING STANDARD says, "Avenue Q's puppets tell racist jokes, screw around, download porn and generally get depressed by their crappy lives...very well executed and sporadically hilarious " BRIAN LOGAN for TIME OUT says, "Very easy to enjoy." LISA MARTLAND for THE STAGE says, "Clever and saucy libretto...Within an extraordinarily talented ensemble Julie Atherton and Jon Robyns are quite brilliant in creating these puppet personalities." SUSANNAH CLAP for THE OBSERVER says, "It's a little bit smart , fairly shrewd and self-parodying , constantly perky, sometimes funny and basically mushy."

External links to full reviews from popular press
The Guardian
The Independent
Daily Telegraph
The Times