Avenue Q

The whooping began as soon as the lights went down: clearly, many of those in the first-night crowd at the King’s knew what was in store. Within 10 minutes pretty much everyone else was up to speed – and the man behind me was shouting with laughter.

It’s not easy to explain what Avenue Q is all about. Yes, it’s rude and politically incorrect and gleefully misanthropic, but it’s also heartfelt and sincere and will leave a smile on the face of anyone who thinks there simply aren’t enough show tunes with titles like Everyone's A Little Bit Racist and I'm Not Wearing Underwear Today.

Take a bit of Team America: World Police, mix it up with Spamalot and the we’re-all-just-muddling-through spirit of the current box office smash Bridesmaids and you’ll be getting close to the Avenue Q experience. Add some “people of fur”, a dash of Friends philosophy and animated nods to another famous American street and you have a must-see show.

Indeed, multiple viewings may be required to fully appreciate the wit and wisdom on offer. The laughs come thick and fast, particularly when the creepy Bad Idea Bears appear to inject extra mischief. It’s hard to believe the performers are not all experienced puppeteers, but in fact they learned to multi-task as part of the rehearsal process.

All are superb, but special mention must go to Rachel Jerram in the double role of Kate Monster and her love rival Lucy the Slut, who switches between innocence and grit without missing a beat.