Blue Man Group (Stage / Screen in general)

Member Name: James Mitchell

Product:	Stage / Screen in general
Date:	19/05/02 (171 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Be part of a cult sensation

Disadvantages: Have to travel to US to see them, Not suitable for small children, Strobe Lighting

I have just returned from NYC. One of the things I wanted to visit was the 'Off Broadway' show The Blue Man Group (BMG).

You may have seen The Blue Man group in a recent Pentium III TV advert (they where blowing out light bulbs from what i can remember).

Basically there are 3 guys have have shaved bright blue heads and blue hands. They dont say a word throught their shows, it's all done using their facial expressions. Their shows are currently taking the states by storm in NYC, Boston, Chicago and Las Vegas. Visit http://www.blueman.com/ for more details. As of yet they havn't really hit the shores of the UK. I hope they will someday though.

I was recommended this show by a friend, I was told the show was going to be mental but I had absolutley no idea how mental it was going to be! I was in tears with laughter throughout the entire show. On first entering the theater you are given a paper head band to wear. A little odd, but hey I went along with it (as did everybody else).

I won't spoil what happens too much but their show is based around percussion instruments and crazy stunts involving paint, for example, they catch marshmellows in their mouth (aprrox. 15 one after the other and he doesn't appear to swallow them either!!!)
They also create spin art by spraying paint from their mouths onto spinning card. Also banding drums whilst paint is been poured over the drums producing a colourfull experience to say the least.

There is plenty of audiance partipitation and the 3 Blue Man leave the stage several times to climb through the audiance (even onto the balcony)!

The finale of the show involves the entire theater been filled with roll after roll of paper. Be warning though there is a large amount of flashing strobe lighting. Ponchos are provided for the first 3 rows of seating as food items (including marshmellows and breakfast cerial) often leave the stage!

The
only bad thing I can say was the fact the 'F' word was used on 1 occasion which I though was not necessary so therefore this show would not be suitable for small children.

I guess the BMG has a cult status in the US and I was just glad to be a part of it. Already planning my next show in Las Vegas at the Luxor hotel (it's about $80 each there)

The show plays at the Astor Place theatre in NYC (about a 15min cab drive from Times Square) which seats around 200 people I think. Pre-booking seats is an absolute must as every show is a sell out. Tickets can be pre-purchased online via ticketmaster.co.uk for all their venues at around $60 per person.

As I pre-purchased my ticket online,you can choose to collect your ticket 30mins before the show commences at the Astor Place box office.

If like me you are not into muscials but still want to say you been to a show in NYC than BMG is an absolute must see.

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