In Toronto at the moment, theatre goers are experiencing a weird and wonderful show on a street rather unlike the classic US children’s programme icons of the seventies and eighties. What happens when puppets go bad?

Avenue Q is the raunchiest puppet production since our own beloved Peter Jackson’s Meet the Feebles, although they’re not quite that sleazy. Kate Monster is a nice furry female, although she does tend to rhapsodise about oral and anal sex at embarrassing moments. Rod is a straight laced investment banker with a crush on Nick, his room mate- and also a (gasp) Republican!!! Lucy the Slut has set her sights on new puppet boy Princeton, and Trekkie Monster is addicted to internet erotic entertainment, as opposed to cookies. Okay, there are also human counterparts, but these puppets steal the show. Especially Rod, who turns out to be a sympathetic character.

Just like Sesame Street, there are (er….) educational (…) songs. Trekkie Monster sings “The Internet is for Porn.” However, be advised that full frontal, anatomically correct puppet sex happens onstage. All in all, it’s a looooooooooooooooong, long way from Sesame Street. What would Elmo say?

Recommended:

Avenue Q website: http://www.avenueq.com