Men in blue captivate audience in colorful Saudi festival show

The Blue Man Group. (File photo)
Updated 16 July 2019
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Men in blue captivate audience in colorful Saudi festival show

  • Group performing as part of the Jeddah Season of events for the third time

JEDDAH: The captivating Blue Man Group rocked a Saudi festival audience with a high-octane show that won a standing ovation.

Performing in the Kingdom for the third time, the three bald, blue men wowed fans by taking them on a spectacular, fun-filled, music-laced journey of discovery.

More than 35 million people of all ages, languages and cultures in 25 countries have experienced the unexpected, madcap antics of the Blue Man Group and the colorful entertainers had an awestruck Saudi audience clapping for more.

The show was organized by the General Entertainment Authority as part of the Jeddah Season.

Backed by other musicians, the trio’s powerful drum show began with two of the blue men competing to create a work of art by spraying paint from their mouths.

The interactive display saw the performers engaging with fans in a variety of fun, dynamic ways including eating Twinkies and painting on a canvas. They even shone a spotlight on late arrivals to the venue, singing: “You are late, you were supposed to be here 20 minutes ago.”

Part of the group’s “Speechless” tour, the family show’s mix of music, color and humor left the Jeddah Season audience buzzing.

“We loved it. It was unique and captivating,” Saudi student, Mariam Ahmed, 22, told Arab News. “This was my first time attending the show and honestly, if you haven’t seen them before nothing can prepare you for what you are going to see in the show.”

Father-of-two Yuzreza, from Brunei, said: “It is our first event and now, after seeing this, we are planning to see a few other events in the season. The children especially enjoyed it.”

The Blue Man Group has been running for 25 years, and according to its publicity its 70 performers around the world splash their way through 18,000 buckets of paint a year and have broken 23,000 drumsticks.


Rhea Seehorn opts for Elie Saab look in Los Angeles

Updated 59 min 21 sec ago
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Rhea Seehorn opts for Elie Saab look in Los Angeles

DUBAI/ LOS ANGELES: US actress Rhea Seehorn attended this weekend’s American Film Institute Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles in a monochrome look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab.

The “Pluribus” and “Better Call Saul” actress opted for an ankle-length daytime dress from Saab’s Pre-Fall 2025 collection that featured a sharp collar, cap sleeves and two pockets placed on the bodice.

She was dressed by celebrity stylist Jessica Paster, who regularly works with the liked of Emily Blunt and Quinta Brunson.

US actress Rhea Seehorn attended this weekend’s American Film Institute Awards Luncheon in Los Angeles in a monochrome look by Lebanese designer Elie Saab. (Getty Images)

Other attendees at the luncheon event included Leonardo DiCaprio, Ryan Coogler, Timothee Chalamet and George Clooney.

According to The Associated Press’s Jonathan Landrum Jr., the institute celebrated the collaborative nature of film and television by honoring creative teams — in front of and behind the camera.

Inside the ballroom on Friday there were no acceptance speeches in the traditional sense and no suspense over envelopes. Instead, the AP reported, AFI’s ceremony unfolded as a series of thoughtfully written tributes: eloquent rationales for each honored film and television program, followed by brief clips designed to place the year’s work within a broader cultural and artistic context.

Films honored include “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “Bugonia,” “Frankenstein,” “Hamnet,” “Jay Kelly,” “Marty Supreme,” “One Battle After Another,” “Sinners,” “Train Dreams” and “Wicked: For Good.”

Television shows recognized were “Adolescence,” “Andor,” “Death by Lightning,” “The Diplomat,” “The Lowdown,” “The Pitt,” “Severance,” “The Studio” and “Task.”

Closing the ceremony was US comedian and actress Carol Burnett, who delivered AFI’s annual benediction, celebrating the honorees’ achievements while reflecting on her own lifelong love of cinema and television.

“I’ve never lost the deep respect and love that I have for all the stories we tell through cinema and television and by all of those behind and in front of the camera,” Burnett said. “Creative collaboration has always remained at the heart of our work, and AFI brings us all together. The world is a better place for having heard your voices.”

The luncheon also featured AFI’s signature March of Time video montage, a sweeping look at cinematic and television milestones from decades past, situating this year’s honorees within the evolving history of the medium.