I’ve just got back from one of the most amazing west end shows I’ve seen in a long time. The Blue Man Group, showing at the New London Theatre in Drury Lane (where ‘Cats’ was for so many years), is a 100 minute extravaganza of light, rhythm, humour, poignancy and audience participation.
It is very hard to describe what happens in the show. Three main characters mime their way through a vibrant series of sketches to a powerful backing provided by four live musicians. The three are the ‘blue men’ wearing what looks like blue latex coverings over their skin areas. They have expert comical timing and convey so very much through looks and body language alone.
They do come in to the audience – right in! At one point they had a small camera inside a viewer’s mouth and showed it on a large screen. The clever bit was the subtle cut to video as they pretended to push the camera into the man’s throat and onwards… yuk! Very very funny, all the same.
The entire auditorium becomes the stage and the audience become willing participants in a feast of visual effects. Far from being tiresome, this show is fascinating to watch, great fun to be in and has an amazing drummer!
I guess it’s a mix of excellent fringe theatre with west end glamour, rock music and a message about electronic communication…
An internet cafe is described as a place full of people who are not going to talk to each other, whilst staring at a screen talking to people who aren’t even there. Seems a bit like any web space to me!
The finale is nothing short of awesome. Yards and yards of paper… revolving plastic pipes, audience participation, music, humour, wonderment! I can’t really describe it as well as it deserves. If you want a great show that is beyond the normal story telling song and dance act, then go and see the Blue Man Group at the New London Theatre in Drury Lane. You won’t be disappointed.