The Story
Avenue Q — London
Shaftesbury Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London
Tony Awards won
including Best Musical
What do you do with a BA in English? It's a very good question — and one that Princeton, fresh out of college with big dreams and an empty wallet, is desperately trying to answer. He ends up on Avenue Q: a rundown New York street populated by humans, monsters and puppets who are all, in their own chaotic ways, figuring out what it means to be a grown-up. What follows is one of the funniest, sharpest, most surprisingly moving musicals ever written.
Avenue Q returns to London's West End to celebrate its 20th anniversary in a brand-new production at the Shaftesbury Theatre, directed by the show's original Broadway director Jason Moore and featuring Rick Lyon's beloved original Broadway puppet designs. After winning the Tony Award Triple Crown — Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book — in 2004 and playing London from 2006 to 2010, it's back, and it's as brilliantly relevant as ever.
"Avenue Q broke all the rules — it was bold, funny, and full of heart, speaking honestly about growing up and finding your place in the world. Two decades later, its message feels more relevant than ever."
Written by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx with a book by Jeff Whitty, Avenue Q takes the format of Sesame Street — lovable puppets, life lessons, catchy songs — and applies it with wicked wit to the realities of adult life. The songs pull no punches: Everyone's a Little Bit Racist, The Internet is for Porn and It Sucks to Be Me are as bracingly honest today as they were twenty years ago. But underneath the irreverence is a genuinely warm story about community, purpose and the terrifying freedom of not knowing what comes next.
Robert Lopez, who went on to co-write The Book of Mormon and Frozen, has said that Avenue Q marked the moment he found his voice as a writer. That voice — funny, tender, uncommonly honest — is all over every scene.
This revival brings fresh eyes to the show with a new UK creative team including choreography by Ebony Molina, costume design by Jean Chan, and lighting design by Tim Lutkin — while original West End company member Julie Atherton returns as Associate Director to ensure the spirit of the original is honoured. The result is a 20th anniversary production that feels like a love letter to everyone who has ever seen a bit of themselves in the residents of Avenue Q.
Notable Songs
It Sucks to Be Me What Do You Do with a B.A. in English? Everyone's a Little Bit Racist The Internet is for Porn I Wish I Could Go Back to College There's a Fine, Fine Line For NowPress Reviews
Avenue Q is back and it's still magnificent — filthy, tender, and laugh-out-loud funny from start to finish.The Guardian
Twenty years on, it remains one of the great original musicals. This revival is a total joy.The Times
The puppets are back. Thank goodness. Avenue Q is funnier and more moving than it has any right to be.Evening Standard
A masterpiece of comic writing. The Shaftesbury couldn't have asked for a better tenant.WhatsOnStage
Avenue Q Tickets
Choose your seats via our live booking platform. Once payment is completed you will receive an email confirmation with your booking reference and eTickets.
210 Shaftesbury Avenue
London, WC2H 8DP
Including an interval
Not suitable for young children
available after purchase
strong language and
mature themes
sound recording equipment
is strictly prohibited
On arrival: display your eTickets on your phone or show the box office a printed ticket. We recommend arriving at least 30 minutes before the performance begins. Note the theatre is operating at reduced capacity during 2026 refurbishment works.
Production
Cast & Creative
Venue
