Irreverent, offensive and funny... that’s the way to do it!
Blackpool, you could say, has history when it comes to risqué puppet shows.
But even Mr Punch and his less than politically correct comrades might have had to watch the antics of the Avenue Q gang through their fingers.
This one-time off-Broadway show turned sensational touring hit might offer more than a little nod to the gentile fun dished out on Sesame Street.
And sure, it’s educational – just not in the same kind of way.
Satirical, irreverent, boundary-pushingly offensive and at times downright rude, it’s a bold step to let the puppets and their masters take over the Opera House for a week-long run.
The catchy tunes and bright colours might scream family entertainment but the themes are decidedly adult and there aren’t many topics Kate Monster, Princeton and the gang shy away from. Being cute and furry is a license for mischief on a grand scale with very little, if anything at all, left to the imagination.
The result is a triumph against bland, the knowing winks and oh-so shocked reactions from the puppeteers all adding to the cheeky yet ever so clever fun of it all. Those of a sensitive disposition might be best giving it a miss, the rest, well be prepared to crease up and cringe. Puppet fun? This is the way to do it.