Before the three Blue Men took the stage, we in the audience were required to take “the oath of no pictures.” I put away my camera, frustrated, until I realized: There really isn’t any way to capture the potency of their performance on film.
The Blue Men literally paint the stage at Chicago’s Briar Street Theatre. And by “paint,” I mean they bang large drums and beat on PVC tubes, spraying paint all over the stage in a cataclysmic explosion. The audience is showered with ambient sounds, bright flashes of light, and for those in the “poncho section,” much more tangible items – cereal, jello, the works.
As I watched the LED screen before the show began, instructing the audience to sing “Happy Birthday” without actually singing, or yell like a cowboy, I started to get a feel for the rest of the night. Audience manipulation seemed to be a recurring theme. And though I started as a silent observer, I quickly found myself caught up in the Blue Man hype, learning the basic rock concert movements. Basic head bob, one-armed fist pump, two-armed upward thrust and yell.
Three grown men, clad in identical uniforms and drenched in blue greasepaint – the idea is so simple it’s ingenious. Entertainment through a variety of mediums, making use of both traditional theatrical elements, such as the band, and innovative technology, like the projector screen covered in shaving cream, is a hallmark of the performance. The Chicago production features a rotating cast of six Blue Men, three full-time and six part-time band members and a crew of 25.
Perhaps the biggest draw of the show is its childhood appeal. No one wants to pay for a classical production when you can watch the Blue Men chew gumballs and spray out paint, or gorge themselves with Cap’n Crunch, or gush out Twinkie goop. Yet similar to the show’s juxtaposition of theater and technology, the show’s appeal is two-fold. The Blue Men also explore relevant societal issues, illustrating social isolation through a video on Internet cafes, and portraying urban isolation with a discussion of our modern plumbing system.
The show did seem to progress slowly at times due to its strong roots in audience participation. Also, the interaction between the Blue Men and the audience was very reactionary – their muteness called for a need in communication through other mediums, be it facial expressions or eyes.
The production was a truly unique theater experience. The Blue Man Group’s incorporation of so many different organs: Cameras and live video, paint, PVC tubes and toilet paper guarantees a production unable to be seen elsewhere.
But I took the oath of no photos. Nothing comes out. So go experience it (not simply see) for yourself.
