‘Politically incorrect’ musical comedy delights Belfast audiences

Any suggestions that puppetry is an in any way ‘out-of-date’ art form continue to be dispelled by the wide range of fascinating ways in which puppets like those in our own online store here at Puppets By Post are used. Another great puppetry success story of recent years, however, has undoubtedly been the musical comedy Avenue Q, which features both puppets and human actors and continues to win rave reviews from theatre-goers across the world.

Such success is all the more remarkable given that the show first opened way back in 2003 at New York’s Vineyard Theatre – but it’s also fair to say that Avenue Q is far from the average puppet show.

“Maybe leave your mum at home”

While many of our own customers who buy character hand puppets from our extensive online range here at Puppets By Post do so out of a wish to engage, entertain and indeed, educate children, Avenue Q is definitely only suitable for audiences aged 16 or over, such is its decidedly adult content.

Devised by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez – the latter the co-creator of The Book of Mormon – Avenue Q is a comedic homage to the puppet television shows that we all remember from our youth. In the words of The Stage reviewer Paul Vale, “it’s Sesame Street for grown-ups and despite its increasing age, the show remains as fresh and pertinent as ever.”

Meanwhile, as student reviewer Naomi Simpson put it earlier this year: “Allow yourself to be charmed and alarmed by this raucous show. Just maybe leave your mum at home for the night.”

Now, the show has been enthralling Northern Ireland

For one of its most recent runs, the hit musical – which has the distinction of having won the ‘Triple Crown’ of Best Musical, Book and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards – took to the stage of Belfast’s Waterfront Hall from the 7^th to the 10^th August, once again showcasing why it has won so many admirers of its Spitting Image-esque humour.

Quoted by the BelfastLive website, producer Nigel Plaskitt was eager to re-emphasise the show’s risqué credentials, commenting: “People sometimes can perceive Avenue Q as a children’s show and it definitely isn’t.

“It’s a parody of Sesame Street. These are the sort of characters that would be in Sesame Street, they’ve gone to university and now they are out in the world... it’s about relationships more than anything.”

Why not buy character hand puppets from our own far-reaching range today?

So, Avenue Q certainly has no shortage of ‘characters’ – but could you do with adding a few more characters to your own puppet collection? Well, you’re in luck with our far-reaching and reasonably priced range of high-quality puppets here at Puppets By Post.

After all, when you buy character hand puppets from us, you’ll also be able to take advantage of the free delivery that we offer on all UK orders over £10 – so why wait any longer to snap up some of your favourites?