Naughty musical parody Avenue Q is a real giggle for the grown ups in Sheffield

Only puppets would get away with it these days.
Avenue Q is a naughty puppet show for adults onlyAvenue Q is a naughty puppet show for adults only
Avenue Q is a naughty puppet show for adults only

On paper the swearing, (very) adult themes and themes offensive to almost every section of society would make Avenue Q a scandalous show.But there was nobody storming out of the Lyceum last night. The naughty musical parody of children’s favourite Sesame Street works because the very talented puppeteers manage to inject real emotions into their furry puppet characters without taking any of the attention from them on the stage.

And I mean every emotion, from rage to love and lust to tragedy.

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Making Lucy the Slut – a take on Miss Piggy - appear genuinely sexy with just a flounce and a drum beat takes some doing. So does working the word ‘schadenfreude’ into a song. Despite the riotous antics – the hilarious drunken bedroom scene between Princeton and Kate will live long in the memory, how the fur flew – and songs about porn there are some moving messages underneath it all.

Mainly that life is too short to be constantly offended, and that everything is temporary (as the cast sang last night, even when it comes to Boris Johnson)

A special mention to Saori Oda who stole the show as one of the few human characters, Christmas Eve, with her comic timing.

Not one to take the kids or a prudish friend to, but a brilliant giggle for the grown ups.

Avenue Q is on at The Lyceum until Saturday August 3.

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