BLUE MAN GROUP has been playing at the Astor Place theatre for thirteen years. That’s a lot of people who’ve gone to see a trio of blue-skinned mutants eat Cap’n Crunch onstage. What is it about these bald weirdoes and their antics that can keep this show going for over a decade? Well, despite the fact that BLUE MAN GROUP might be dismissed as mere spectacle, the show is much deeper than it might appear. The wise and benevolent Blue Men have much to teach us, and the full range of human emotions can be seen in something as simple as the Blue Men eating a box of Twinkies.
For those who aren’t aware of just what BLUE MAN GROUP is, it can be loosely described as a percussion performance art piece. There are no easy labels for what it is though, and it’s nigh impossible to quantify why it’s so entertaining. Basically, three men who are, in fact, painted blue, make music by banging on various things, most often drums, but also including PVC Tubes which gave the show it’s original name BLUE MAN GROUP: TUBES. Between the music, short scenes and sketches play out, often involving audience participation. The Blue Men never speak, but still manage to silently convey what’s going on. Sometimes voiceovers are employed for narration (Never for dialogue) and there’s a hefty dose of multimedia as well. And yes, these ARE those blue guys from those old Intel computer commercials.
Audience interaction is a big part of the show. The aforementioned Twinkie sketch brought one lucky young lady onstage to dine with the Blue Men and, in a multimedia piece, a lucky audience member was strung up by his ankles, painted blue and used as an avant-garde art supply. The audience in general gets to take part in the show since the Blue Men make frequent trips through the aisles, and even launch Jell-O sculptures into the audience.
Speaking of flying Jell-O sculptures, audiences should be warned: Leave your Versace couture cocktail dress at home! Many of the Blue Men’s routines involve making a mess. Audience members in the first few rows are issued plastic ponchos to protect them, but the rest of the audience is still in danger of being splashed by paint, or bonked on the head by catapulted Jell-O sculptures, or sprayed with a substance which may or may not be partially digested Twinkies.
Over its thirteen years, there have been a certain number of changes to the material. The current incarnation of Blue Man Group has been altered considerably from the original, with more multimedia sequences, and several pieces that respond to cultural changes since the show premiered. The new material is definitely up to the excellent standards of the original. A scene about internet cafes and technology’s effect on human interaction is very incisive, and also includes a brilliant special effect showcasing –3D animationâ€. The new sequence on the history of animation is actually quite informative, and very innovative too, since it uses a screen made of shaving cream for its projections. The recently added –How to be a rock star†sketch is a long overdue satire about the mass-produced popular music industry, and even uses the word –Shiz-nitâ€.
The changes are generally kept to the second half, and most of the classic Blue Man bits which made the show a hit in the first place remain. The classic Cap’n Crunch munching routine is still there, as is the scene where one Blue Man catches a hundred marshmallows in his mouth (It’s actually much more cerebral than it sounds).
BLUE MAN GROUP is a show which can be interpreted in many ways. On the most primitive level, it can be seen as a zany circus full of blue clowns catching marshmallows in their mouths. On a deeper level, it’s a chance to embrace that sleeping, subconscious primitive element of one’s self, which is BLUE MAN GROUP appeals to the intellect. The Blue Men are trying to wake up dormant parts of the human mind. But don’t worry, you’ll be having so much fun, you won’t even notice you’re learning something.
BLUE MAN GROUP- REVIEW
