In March 2026, Jeff Whitty’s musical comedy Avenue Q is returning to the West End for the first time since 2010 when it finished a five-year run at the Wyndham Theatre. Running until August 2026, this production will commemorate the musical’s 20th anniversary since debuting on the West End in 2006.
Avenue Q is a very unique production using puppets who interact with three human characters to tell a story of identity, adulthood and discovering your purpose in a satirical, Sesame Steet style neighbourhood. The show draws inspiration from children’s television shows, specifically Sesame Street and plays to that format, but subverts the genre by introducing adult themes and issues.
This long-awaited revival is going to be with original Broadway director Jason Moore (Pitch Perfect, Shrek the Musical) and original puppet designer Rick Lyon, so audiences can re-discover the fun, fuzz and felt that made Avenue Q a worldwide phenomenon. Many of the original cast and creative team are returning (including some of the original Broadway puppets) to make sure this revival will be as authentic as possible so a new generation can enjoy the musical as it was intended. However, in a joint statement the producers noted that this revival is being framed as a “love letter” to the original so some tweaks and surprises are to be expected to create more modern relevance and fresh and exciting for everyone, even the original audiences.
While Avenue Q’s return has created anticipation among the London theatre community there have still been some concerns circulating the internet. Some jokes around race, identity or gender might be more problematic now than when the show first premiered. A review of a Fringe production in 2024 noted “some casual racism, some poorly presented female characters” and suggested the satire can feel “cringey” or cynical. The Shock-value songs including ‘Everyone’s A Little Bit Racist’ and ‘The Internet Is For Porn’ might feel less clever and more awkward now, despite the production team’s assurances to audiences that this production will include more up to date references and modern jokes.
Whether through nostalgia or reinvention, this revival aims to prove that Avenue Q still has something meaningful—and joyfully irreverent—to say.
Tickets are starting at £31 and can be bought on the official Avenue Q Website.
Words by Gemma McDonald
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