Showtime

What: Avenue Q

Where: Elgin Theatre, 189 Yonge St., Toronto

When: To Aug. 31

Tickets: 1-866-950-7469

Psst. Want to hear puppets talking dirty?

Want to see dolls on a stick simulating sex?

OK, I know it sounds racy. Maybe even vaguely disgusting. Well, it's not.

Avenue Q, the Tony-winning New York musical that has set down at Toronto's Elgin Theatre, is sophisticated, sassy entertainment. Taking urban street life as its core, it turns into a search for hidden truth.

We're on Avenue Q in New York, one of the streets of Alphabet City. A rundown tenement area with dirty brick buildings and battered wood fronts is the home of a cockamamie set of characters, each trying to find something that might make life meaningful.

Princeton, a young 20-something, moves onto this colourful avenue of humanity looking for something he calls purpose. His B.A. in English leaves him not suited for much. He learns he must look beyond his education to discover what life is about.

His journey causes him to look within; he learns life can be a terrific kaleidoscope, a rainbow ride of emotions, both frightening and pleasant. He also learns there are important things that bond people of seeming differences.

In other words, for all its coarse language and adult situations, Avenue Q is basically a love story.

People help each other on Avenue Q. Even when it seems racism and homophobia might cause serious schisms, the characters move ahead and beyond any niggling prejudice.

Princeton falls in love with Kate Monster. Brian marries tough-talking Christmas Eve. Nicky comes out of the closet even if he can't have a physical relationship with Rod, who remains behind the cupboard door.

In other words, Avenue Q is a musical with messages. You'll hardly notice them at first. That's because the show is so seductive, tugging you along from moment to moment.

Part of the reason is that many of the characters are played by actors manipulating large puppets. The way they connect with these colourful appendages is amazing. Even though we see the actors standing alongside, we believe the puppets are speaking.

None of this would work, of course, without a terrific cast capable of singing the socks off Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx's witty score. From It Sucks To Be Me to Everyone's A Little Bit Racist, this is a wisecracking, intelligent musical that makes some pretty bold statements about life, love and getting along.

The cast for this touring edition is top notch. I saw the show on Broadway a couple of seasons ago, and this edition is just as good in every way.

Robert McClure's Princeton and Rod (a number of actors play several roles) are always believable. So is Angela Ai's sharp-tongued therapist Christmas Eve.

Add Danielle K. Thomas's comic turn as former child star Gary Coleman and Anika Larsen's good-hearted duet as Kate Monster and the Mae-West inspired Lucy The Slut, and you have a first-class ensemble.

Avenue Q isn't is for children. The language, sex and head-on collision with life may be a little rough for most grade-schoolers. After all, if they get it you'll be wondering how and why. If they don't you'll be left having to explain a lot.

Jason Moore's sophisticated book steamrolls over plenty of big issues. Avenue Q was the shock hit of 2006 on Broadway, beating Wicked out of the Tony. It's well worth a look.

Gary Smith has written on theatre and dance for The Hamilton Spectator for more than 25 years.