Avenue Q

The West End has many musical treats on offer for frequent theatre goers and the more casual tourist crowd, but only one can boast a successful combination of hilarity, music and muppets. With tongue firmly in furry cheek, this spoof Sesame street musical is something unique.

Don't let the puppets fool you though, they might bring back a flood of happy childhood memories, but this show isn't one for the kids. With song titles including "If You Were Gay", "Everyone's a Little Bit Rascist" and "The Internet is for Porn", you begin to get a sense of what you're really getting. Such subject matter also helps to understand why this is, without question, the biggest hit with the student crowds. The fusion of kitch children's television with humour that treds the fine line between genius and political incorrectness is something everyone can delight in.

The humour is note perfect, but the real triumph of Avenue Q is that it also has depth and substance. You don't have to look too hard beneath its catchy songs and clever gags to find some profound messages about tolerance and what it means to be an adult.

It's hard to describe just how brilliant this show is. I have been to see it nine times and I just can't imagine doing that with any other show. I've dragged countless friends to see it and without fail they leave the theatre declaring it to be the best thing they've ever seen on stage. Perhaps best of all, unlike a Lloyd Webber effort, tickets are reasonably priced and often available even on the day of the performance. Finishing it's run at the Noel Coward theatre soon, Avenue Q will be back in a new home on Shaftsbury Avenue. But don't waste time, I urge you in the strongest possible way to go and see this.