We’ve been lucky enough to visit Las Vegas a couple of times and whilst we were there The Blue Man Group were playing at the Luxor hotel where we were staying. I was always a bit reluctant to pay the expensive ticket prices and so I vowed to catch the group when they came to London. So when the tickets went on sale for the Blue Man Group at the New London Theatre, I got in fast, buying tickets for the opening night.

On the way there, I joked about not being selected by the Blue Men for one of their stunts. “I hope that they don’t stick that camera down my throat,” said I. Fateful words those… So before the concert, we found a snug little pub called The Sun on Drury Lane for a couple of quick drinks. It was a traditional styled pub and I quite enjoyed the general ambience. I joked to The Missus about selling our tickets and remaining in the pub for a good old drink.

Inside the theatre, I was considering buying some merchandise and planned to buy a couple of BMG CDs as I often buy stuff at gigs, but my ardour was cooled when I saw that they were selling both BMG CDs for £17.50 each and the DVD was £22.50. I might be dumb, but I am not that dumb. Instead we went inside and took to our seat. We were seated in the fourth row and had to wear protective blue overalls to protect us from any leakages or splashes from the stage. I was like wearing a large polythene condom over your head and after ten minutes I was glad that I had decided to wear a T-shirt to the event as I the smock contained my bodyheat causing my potatoes to boil over rather rapidly, if you know what I mean.


“Hey, I’ve always looked like a complete dick, so this is no problem…”

The show started and if you haven’t been to the BMG group or unfamiliar with the concept, it can be described simply as “performance art”. But don’t be scared, it’s not that bad. The Blue Men are three mute blue men who indulge in a little bit of mime, pull visual gags and love audience participation all to the sound of a tribal soundtrack that was written by the BMG (though performed live by a houseband). While I thought some of the humour was OK-ish, I really enjoyed the musical segments where the group used their homemade instruments – the Drumbone is made out of industrial pipe and sounds like nothing on earth. The percussion is superb and it was good to see a Chapman Stick being used by one of the band members.

During the audience participation sections, the BMG descend into the audience and pick unwilling volunteers to help them. Yes, I was chosen for the “throat cam” section of the show. Before the show, my ESP was telling me that I was probably going to be chosen and me and The Missus discussed it as we walked over Waterloo Bridge. When the BMG grabbed me, I played along, flipping out my lizard-like tongue to reveal a mint I had been sucking…I think that made the audience laugh…then they stuck the camera in my mouth and that was it really. I would have loved to have seen the footage, but my vision was obscured by the group. No matter. I had made a little bit of history: I was the throat-cam victim of the opening night of the BMG in London. I think that’s kinda cool. (Sad git, ain’t I?)

Me and the Missus really enjoyed the show and lasting 1 hour 50 minutes the BMG don’t outstay their welcome. I can’t see the average British theatre-going audience “getting this” because it is too much fun for the West End. There were quite a few empty seats on the opening night and I would hate to see the run end early because there’s a lot of hard work involved in the show. If you’ve not see the BMG and want to experience an evening of fun, cool music and luminous bog-roll, I recommend you book a ticket. It’s the first show where I felt the artistes were playing to the whole theatre.


Evidence that I was touched by blue hands. Does this make me an honorary, if slightly out of shape, Blue Man?

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