China Daily Global Edition (USA)
Performance art from“another world”
Three blue-skinned figures were spotted wandering around Shanghai recently. They took a ride on the metro, browsed merchandize in shopping malls and even received a parcel from a courier.
The trio, however, aren’t actually from another planet. Instead, these men are members of the Blue Man Group, a performance art outfit from the United States who were in Shanghai to promote their maiden China tour which will take place from Nov 16 to Dec 4 at SAIC Shanghai Culture Square.
Many would find it difficult to define what Blue Man performances are. After all, it contains elements from theater, musicals, concerts and a variety of other genres, said the captain of the Blue Man Group, known only as Meridian.
He also described the show as a “journey” where the blue men will take audiences into “their world, their life, and their celebration.”
The show features three alien men who land on the planet and are curious about the human race. The characters will make odd noises, splash colorful pigments on stage and even play interactive games with the audiences.
“The Blue Man characters and the Blue Man Group Company are curious about the world we live in. As the world around us changes, as new technologies are invented, as new creative impulses happen in the world, we are constantly influenced,” said Meridian.
Fei Yuanhong, artistic director of SAIC Shanghai Culture Square, described the Blue Man show to be “a mind-opening, unconstrained, limitless, and child-like experience for the audience”.
Meridian said that audiences can expect their show in November to incorporate elements of everyday life in the digital age, such as the connection with devices like phones and tablets.
“We have some great humor in the show that surrounds these giant tablets, and they will appear larger than life in the performance,” said Meridian, whose favorite part of his job is experiencing the different reactions from audiences around the world.
Although these characters are supposedly from “another world” and display no facial expressions, Meridian promises that the audience will be able to easily relate and understand the characters.
“There is more to the Blue Man that is familiar than unfamiliar. Everywhere we’ve brought the show to, people understand the characters. This performance is about something we all share: our desire to connect with each other, and the desire to celebrate all that is wonderful about life together,” said Meridian.
The Blue Man Group was founded in 1991. Chinese audiences first got to know the characters from an Intel commercial on TV in the 1990s. The Blue Man Show, which has been seen by 35 million people worldwide, is currently on tour in the US and Germany.