Blue Man Group: Tricks, rock music & deadpan humor

MANILA, Philippines – They are dressed in black and their heads and fingers are painted blue. They don’t smile, they don’t bow. They acknowledge applause by raising their hands, eyes dilating. They don’t speak but they sure know how to connect with the audience with their deadpan humor.

These are the three men who form the Blue Man Group, and who serve a heady brew of comedy, theater, illusion, perfect timing, jokes on the audience, hyper movement, music from unconventional props like pipes which approximate a giant xylophone, precision drumming and other tricks of stagecraft.

They are now performing to capacity crowds at The Theater at Solaire, Pasay City, Tuesday to Friday (8 p.m.) and Saturday to Sunday (2 p.m. and 8 p.m.) until Sept. 25. Visit www.concertusmanila.com.

The show is enhanced by a rock band, laser beams and strobe lights, stunning screen visuals and a voice-over which serves as the spokesman of the group.

“It appeals to the young,” observed a seatmate. “They’re the ones who get the jokes.” Also, the middle-aged, if I may add. Even a golden oldie like me laughed out loud from time to time. Kids are also welcome; it’s a family show.

It was outrageous from time to time. One Blue Man kept throwing balls to his colleague, who kept swallowing them expertly until his mouth bulged. Suddenly the screens flashed LATE ARRIVALS and the camera followed two young men, latecomers, up to the time they took their seats. There were close-ups of the two who, although embarrassed, smiled and took it in stride.

“You should have been here 30 minutes ago,” boomed the Voice.

Audience participation sent shivers through the crowd. For Blue Men approached, as if menacingly, and then chose one young woman who was brought to the stage and made to join the hi-jinks while trying to eat some food props.

More startling was what they did to a young man, whom the three placed into a jumpsuit, plastered him with red, hang him upside down and banged him against a wall (“live backstage”). Then, a prop which looked like a lighted pumpkin or fruit, placed on a table, was brought in and — ta da — out emerged the young man, none the worse for wear. It must have been a double who was banged.

The show ended with a blaze of confetti and giant inflatable balls which floated and fell upon the audience, to their delight, and these were tossed around. “Please return our balls,” intoned the Voice. Then, the rock music grew louder, the signal for a dance party of sorts. It was a fun evening.