Avenue Q, Mayflower Theatre

IT'S a mischievous version of The Muppets. Think Kermit the Frog with sex. drugs and rock n roll.

Multi-coloured puppets, songs and a heart-warming tale of a university graduate trying to find his purpose in life - and finding a lovely girlfriend along the way.

At first glance, this is a show for all the family.

But anyone wanting to bring young kids - or anyone easily offended - should think again.

Avenue Q is so wrong, but oh so right.

Jobless English graduate Princeton arrives in the neighbourhood looking for a cheap place to rent and meets a host of colourful characters.

Kate Monster, performed incredibly by beautifully voiced understudy Jessica Parker, dreams of opening her own school for monsters, Japanese therapist Christmas Eve is desperate for clients and Gary Coleman - the child actor from Brush Strokes - has fallen on hard times and manages the buildings on Avenue Q, which bears more than a passing resemblance to Sesame Street.

Cookie Monster is replaced with the hysterical Trekkie Monster, who is obsessed with internet porn, while Bert and Ernie’s platonic relationship is parodied with Nicky and Rod, who share a room on the street.

Good time girl Lucy is a pimped up version of Miss Piggy in a nod to The Muppets.

Songs like Schadenfreude, Everyone's A Little Bit Racist, If You Were Gay and The Internet (is for porn) are an absolute triumph, delighting a packed Mayflower audience.

The biggest laughs of the evening were prompted by a simply hilarious puppet sex scene and a timely swipe at David Cameron.

The fusion between actor and puppet was so complete and the performances of all so slick that I was disappointed when the puppets did not re-emerge for the final bow.

But the actors fully deserved their rapturous reception at the curtain call.

Avenue Q was right up my street.

LORELEI REDDIN

Avenue Q runs until Wednesday.

Tickets: 023 8071 1811 or mayflower.org.uk