The Bushnell, Hartford, CT
through June 12, 2016
by R.E. Smith
"Ready, go!" As those words flash across an LCD
message board, the Bushnell theatre roars to life as the Blue Man Group takes
the stage and transports the audience to a world of wonder. Rock concert, pantomime,
performance art, silent movie, percussion showcase, visual pun; a performance
by BMG is all these things and more.
The BMG has taken the group experience and made it intimate
with now famous, ground breaking, multi media sequences featuring everything
from black lights to human paintbrushes. With child-like intensity, the BMG
explores their environment, deftly manipulating marshmallows and Captain Crunch
with equal ease. Lights flash, drums pound, plumbing becomes musical
instruments, music becomes something you can see and feel.
Who or what the BMG are/is can be left open to individual
debate but it really doesn't matter; these silent, bald, and blue beings are
incredibly talented. Daniel Carter, Adam Erdossy and Steven Wendt as the. .
.well. . . blue men, work together with precision and evident trust in one
another. As befits such a communal experience, the curtain call prominently
recognizes not only the 3 “leads” but also the stage/technical crew and the 4
musicians that help propel the action.
The make-up of the audience is evidence that the show’s
appeal cuts across demographics with Grandparents and kids alike clamoring for
the opportunity to participate. Who hasn't wanted to play with giant glowing
beach balls, or dance to a song devoted to the human posterior?
