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Avenue Q...

Last night Stu and I went to see the Muppet puppet musical Avenue Q at the Noel Coward Theatre in London's glitzy West End.

We had very high expectations of the show as everyone had said how fantastic it all was. There were people in the audience we knew who were back for the second and third times. So we took out seats expecting to be wowed. Which is always a mistake, of course.

Sadly, and perhaps inevitably, it didn't quite live up to those high expectations. It was good, yes. Amusing. Indeed in places rather funny. The songs were clever. But after what we'd been lead to believe (i.e. it was shocking) it just wasn't risque enough. There was little to shock in fact. The songs about racism, Internet porn, and the difficulties of life were all well and good but they simply reminded me of Flanders and Swan. Or Fascinating Aida. Or Topping and Butch. They didn't quite have the satirical bite I'd hoped. File under 'Sesame Street with amusing social commentary'.

One thing that we and the New York Critics agree on however. Avenue Q was way better than Wicked (it beat that show to the Tony for best musical award in 2004)

Best song: "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"
Funniest bit: Muppets Puppets having sex to "You Can Be as Loud as the Hell You Want (When You're Makin' Love)"
Favourite Muppets Puppets: The Bad Idea Bears

If you're going to go, grab one of the half prices offers kicking around.