Musical · West End
Avenue Q
A musical comedy for puppets and human performers. Princeton, fresh out of college and searching for a purpose, moves into a shabby apartment on New York's Avenue Q, where he and his neighbours deal with work, love and money.
This is the revival marking the show's 20th anniversary, directed by original Broadway director Jason Moore and using the original puppets designed by Rick Lyon. Music and lyrics are by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, with a book by Jeff Whitty. Noah Harrison plays Princeton and Rod, and Emily Benjamin plays Kate Monster and Lucy. Running time is 2 hours 15 minutes including an interval. Recommended for ages 13+ with parental guidance, as it contains strong language and adult themes.
Buying advice
How to book
It sells strongly, so the cheapest seats for a date tend to go first. Peak performances carry a surcharge: mid-range seats run £68–£90 against £62–£85 off-peak, roughly 6% more, so an off-peak date is the easy saving.
Ways to pay less
Book in advance and save £20 on every ticket priced £50 or more for Monday to Friday performances: off-peak, an £85 mid-range seat drops to £65. Prices do not rise as the date nears, so waiting costs choice of seat, not money. For a Tuesday to Thursday performance, you can also chance the day with TKTS, which has it nearly every day at around 40% off. If you are happy to gamble, £30 Rush tickets are available daily from the TodayTix app, though a seat is not guaranteed. Groups of 6 or more pay £52.50 a head, falling to £42.50 for 20 or more; school groups of 10 or more students pay £25.
Deals5
Best deals across LondonEvery current deal we track for Avenue Q, checked daily. Last checked 23 October.
Up to 42% off on Fri 23 and Sat 24 Oct through TKTS, in the Stalls, Royal Circle and Boxes.
£30 Rush tickets available at 10:00 am every day from TodayTix app, 1 or 2 per person for that day's performances. To give yourself the best chance, save your card details in the app beforehand, open the show's Rush page just before 10am and tap the button the moment it appears. If you miss out, keep trying for 10 to 15 minutes, as tickets not paid for within 5 minutes are released again.
- Early BirdUntil 18 Dec
Best deal
Book in advance and save £20 on every ticket priced £50 or more, for Monday to Friday performances until 18 December 2026. Saturdays are excluded. Off-peak, Premium seats drop from £145 to £125 and the cheapest discounted seats from £50 to £30. Use code ASWOND; the link below applies it.
- GroupUntil 18 Dec
Groups of 6+ pay £52.50, 10+ pay £45, and 20+ pay £42.50 for Mon-Fri performances; exclusions apply. Subject to availability. To book 6 to 10 tickets online, go to Group Rates on the show page and press the Here link beside the 6+ code; the code is applied for you. Groups of 10+ book by phone on 020 7379 5399.
- SchoolUntil 18 Dec
School groups of 10+ students pay £25, with one free teacher place per 10 tickets, on Monday to Thursday evenings and Friday matinees (recommended for senior students only). Subject to availability.
Pricing
+0% peak surcharge (mid-range seats)Peak
Weekends & holidays| Area | Top | Bottom |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | £165 | £125 |
| Mid-range | £90 | £75 |
| Budget | £55 | £25 |
Off-peak
Mid-week| Area | Top | Bottom |
|---|---|---|
| Premium | £145 | £120 |
| Mid-range | £95 | £70 |
| Budget | £50 | £25 |
Prices are taken from the show's official website and are a guide only — they change without notice.
Where to sit
Seats run from £38 to £165: off-peak budget seats £38–£50, mid-range seats £62–£85 and premium seats £95–£145. Premium seats reach £165 on peak dates. At the Shaftesbury Theatre, level by level: Stalls — Mid-Stalls are prime, but front rows strain necks, back rows lose the top. Royal Circle — Often the best overall view, but front row rail can be a minor snag. Grand Circle — Panoramic views from afar, but details blur and legroom is tight. The Grand Circle (3rd tier) of Shaftesbury Theatre is currently being renovated, so only the Stalls and Dress Circle are currently available for booking.
Shaftesbury Theatre is currently being renovated, so the Grand Circle (3rd tier) is not available for bookings. Budget seats therefore represent good value for money, since they are now only on the 2nd tier. Pricing seems very consistent through the coming weeks, so there is currently no value in booking ahead.
The Shaftesbury Theatre's own seating guide, level by level, is below.
Critics
What the critics said
Reviews of this production at Shaftesbury Theatre · Opened 20 March 2026
3.9 out of 5, the average of 5 star-rated reviews, listed below
Evening Standard
Nick Curtis · Read the review at Evening Standard“An illicit, profane, puppet joy”
The Independent
Louis Chilton · Read the review at The Independent“A Gen-X time capsule that maybe should have stayed buried”
WhatsOnStage
Alun Hood · Read the review at WhatsOnStageLondon Theatre
Anya Ryan · Read the review at London Theatre“the legendary adult puppet musical is still a total hoot”
The Reviews Hub
Christine Stanton · Read the review at The Reviews Hub
Also reviewed by The Guardian, The Times, The Telegraph and Time Out
Quotes are brief extracts, each with a link to the full review. Star ratings are the outlets’ own; we never work one out from a review’s words. If you publish one of these reviews and would like it removed, email us and we will take it down promptly.
Thinking of going with a group?
There’s a group rate for this show (see the group deal). Register your interest and we’ll try to organise a trip at that rate once enough people are in.
Staying nearby
The nearest hotels to the Shaftesbury Theatre, for anyone travelling in for a show rather than heading home after it.
- Zedwell Tottenham Court Roadabout 5 min walk
- Otherwander Sohoabout 10 min walk
- The Z Hotel Covent Gardenabout 10 min walk
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