The loud and mute Blue Man Group plays a new show Jan. 18-23 at the Fox Theater as part of their U.S. National Tour. For those who have seen them perform before, the chance to see the Blue Man Group live in your city is too good to pass up.
The amazing, one-of-a-kind show blends sights and sounds with a heavy dose of humor to make one of the most entertaining shows around. The expert performers/musicians play fantastic music while making subtle statements about society and the human condition.
The performers are epitomized by the makeup and costumes which forces performers and audience to focus on the material being presented and not on the personality or branding of the individual people on stage.
This is the complete opposite of common practice nowadays. In today’s world of branding and fluff, the Blue Man Group refreshingly emphasizes the content.
The whole show does not have an overt message of anything particularly specific, but on closer examination, there are actually some deeper themes going on under the music and the jokes.
The trio does a skit in which the audience is forced to try and read three screens of separate information at once on “GiPads.” The information oversaturation holds a mirror up to society while the information on the screens is actually quite funny by itself.
Probably the biggest theme of the show is communication and how people communicate with each other over many mediums but never really have a conversation. Two stick figures communicate over text message using text abbreviations and realize they need to break out of themselves.
This point is further driven home by muteness of the blue men themselves who never say a word or make a sound with their mouths. They make a whole artistic statement while never saying anything and just using natural body movements and postures.
The show the Blue Man Group puts on is very modern with a litany of warnings before the show starts for those with weak lungs, hearts and constitutions to be wary of the physical stresses of sitting on your George Foreman Grill and watching such a multimedia show. The show has huge screens and UV lights for everyone to become pleasantly disoriented.
The blue men go through a series of sketches, each imaginative and unique. They interact with videos playing on flying screens and make artwork to give out to the audience while playing drums.
The show takes left turns like a lead-footed lost race car driver, each turn delightfully unexpected. Music, light, acting and staging blend and mash together to make a neon-colored splatter of energy and entertainment.
The most surprising aspect of the show was the consistent hilarity. While some sketches were more serious and strictly musical, many of them have hysterical videos/commentary/acting. It is not just a laugh here or there, but a full out exhausting guffaw followed by a belly laugh Santa would be jealous of.
The Blue Man Group is one of the best shows around. It has some social commentary but much more humor throughout the whole show. The energetic, exciting and colorful stage and visual style make a visual feast. All of these elements are great on their own and come together in unexpected ways that always entertain. The Blue Man Group is a creative experience everyone should see, especially now while it as at the Fabulous Fox.