Culture writer Jen Sawitzki reviews Bluevolution, finding it to be an entertaining and joyful performance that marks the Blue Man Group’s return to the UK after 15 years
The infamous Blue Man Group recently hit The Alexandra in Birmingham – and the whole UK – for the first time in 15 years. Like the rest of the UK, I was very unsure what to expect. If you don’t know who they are, firstly, Google them. The only other things you need to know about them is that they are mute, and have only ever been seen in public in groups of three – no more, no less. I have been consciously avoiding any Blue Man-related material online (which was much harder than I thought) so that I could experience them in the purest form. I knew they were blue. I knew they were men. That was about it. The tension and butterflies were instantly palpable in the audience
The entire performance shocked me; some surreal moments include, but are not limited to:
- The public shaming of a couple who turned up late and got the full works – red lights, sirens, and a loud voice dragging out their public shaming in the most comically over-the-top way possible.
- 100 continuous minutes of fantastic, pounding percussion – mostly drums, with a few questionable PVC ‘instruments’ (plumbing pipes) thrown in for good measure.
- A man pretty much being tortured.
The tension and butterflies were instantly palpable in the audience. In the 15-minute lead-up to the show, all that was on stage was an ominous rotating mantra of phrases, and a nice view of some extremely nervous-looking people in the front two rows being given head-to-toe rain ponchos. We were right to be scared.
Back to the man being tormented, which just about fit the Oxford Dictionary’s definition of ‘infliction of severe bodily pain, as… a means of persuasion’. The aforementioned means of persuasion? The Blue Men were trying to persuade my body to give an extreme reaction, and it did. Without a thought, my monkey brain took over; my hands were over my mouth, eyes wide, and a little squeak of horror escaped from my vocal cords. Said man was all but okay after having experienced the comical wrath of the trio.
The best way I could describe the show would be that it is an assault on the senses. Lots of colours, flashes, movement, and moments where the Blue Men seem to be mercilessly pursuing members of the audience.
One thing I would really like to applaud Bluevolution for is their inclusion and ‘addition of a new female character exclusive to the current World Tour’. The multi-instrumentalist affectionately known as ‘The Rockstar’ added a new dimension to the already dynamic setlist. Another heart-warming measure they have implemented into the show is donating the proceeds – raised by auctioning the artworks created during its runtime – towards charity.
One thing I would really like to applaud Bluevolution for is their inclusion
After visiting The Alexandra, I am forever changed after seeing Bluevolution. The Blue Man has not entered my heart, but their unique, explosive percussion certainly has. Part of me was expecting a kind of commentary on society of politics to arise during the show, but with hindsight, the beauty of it is precisely how apolitical and universally understandable it is. The characters were inspired by the idea of ‘hunter-gatherer’ guys ‘just playing the drums and…grooving, because that’s just in our DNA’, to quote one of the founding members.
Looking past some of the Mr Bean-style gimmicks, I really did appreciate this unique experience. If you’ve never seen the show before – do. But keep in mind that it becomes a lot more enjoyable the closer you are to the chaos occurring onstage.
Rating: 3.5/5
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