November 2005 - Blue Man Group

© November 2005 - Blue Man Group Review By Bryen Dunn, Toronto - Info@bryendunn.com

It is a concert…it is performance art…it is a theatrical documentary…it is Blue Man Group.
The spectacle known as Blue Man Group opened in Toronto earlier this summer amid some local controversy, but that hasn’t stopped the gang from delivering an amazing show.

It dazzles and amazes for the full 90-minutes. Three grown “blue” men are the focus of the audience’s attention as they flip back and forth between various performance antics. The show is described as, “an explosive party atmosphere that appeals to people of all ages, languages, and cultures”.

There is the feeling of sensory overload in all directions as the Blue Boys bounce around the stage and up and down the aisles. You know something weird is about to happen when the first 4 rows of the audience are handed full-body plastic bags to cover up with, and other audience members are wearing head bands made of toilet paper.

Audience interaction is an integral part of the show - be prepared to be selected for your “5 minutes of fame”.One of the show highlights has to be the paintball/marshmallow scene which is jaw dropping, in more ways than one. Don’t try this one at home kids. There’s also the 3D internet café portion that is created via black lights and optical illusions. “TV Heads” was created exclusively for the Toronto performance and is highly entertaining.

The show has an amazing finale and continues on even after exiting the theatre. The troop members mingle with the audience in the theatre lobby posing for pictures, signing autographs, and collecting change for the local AIDS foundation. The attention to detail goes so far as to even have recorded music being played in the washrooms after the show with lyrics about bathrooms.

The musicians are very much a part of the show and in fact are becoming quite known beyond the performance venues. They have released two CD’s and a DVD, and have done some work on movie soundtracks and animation projects.BMG have performed outside of North America in Berlin, and just recently opened in London, England.

They were also presenters at the 2005 Billboard Awards and performers at the Earth to America benefit in Las Vegas in November. With this much adoration, can they now be considered part of the pop culture?

It’s a show for all ages, and a fun time is guaranteed whether you bring your mother or your daughter. Just a friendly warning – don’t be late arriving.

There are nightly shows (except Monday) at the Panasonic Theatre, 651 Yonge Street, with tickets prices ranging from $59.00 to $64.00.

There are also afternoon weekend performances.For more information visit http://www.blueman.ca/ and for ticket information visit http://www.ticketmaster.ca/ or call 416 872 1111. Tickets are also available at the theatre box office.

This story was published on juicystuff.ca