Johnny’s List of Quirky Boston Events: 12/01/05

12/01/05 by

Last night I went to see
White Christmas, to Dec 31st at the Wang Center in Boston. It was pretty good, surprisingly. It’s outdated, kinda too mainstream, but hearty, like steak & potatos for breakfast. And it was written by Irving Berlin. Plus snow falls on the audience. No, really.
Looking for something to do in the performance world? One of the mainstays of Boston is
Blue Man Group, which is going to run forever and ever. Like in White Christmas, they dump stuff on the audience and it’s kinda fun. Unlike White Christmas, Blue Man Group is trendy and on the edge. It’s not a theater event: there is no plot and no story. But it’s a bunch of performance skits involving tricks of the senses and intellectual jokes. It’s really worth seeing, and one secret is that if you volunteer to usher (sign up 2-4 weeks in advance) you get free seats, typically the worst seats in the house, but hey, still free.
A couple of holiday shopping activities dressed up as art shows are going on as well. Sounds corny, but the art at these things is usually inexpensive, and sometimes it’s really good. Like shopping at Filene’s Basement, if you trust your sense of taste, you can find some good bargains. Check out the
Brookline Art Center Annual Showcase, Dec 1-18 in Brookline, and
Mass Art’s Holiday Sale, Dec 5-10 in Boston.
The big event of the week is
Kevin Pollack, at the Comedy Connection, Dec 2-3, in Fanueil Hall. He’s that movie star from The Usual Suspects, and comedian famous for doing impressions, like Captain Kirk on Star Trek on Saturday Night Live. What’s interesting is that the Comedy Connection website hasn’t got him listed. But they put at an in the Weekly Dig, so it must be real.
Also what looks interesting this weekend is
The Great Scientific Breakthroughs of the 20th Century, Dec 2nd at 7pm at the Museum of Science, Boston. It’s free and I’m sure it’ll be interesting to learn what they chose as the Top 25 breakthroughs. Check out the Star Wars exhibit while you’re there, too.
Also check out
The Great Marlborough Train Show, Dec 3-4, Marlborough, MA. It’s the biggest event I could find when I was wondering, where are the model train nuts in New England and how can I stop by one of their events? At the Best Western, 181 Boston Post Rd (Rt 20), 10-5 S, 10-4 S. 781-862-0388. Cheaper than buying your own set, and way bigger.
Also, Brown University’s Handel Messiah this year is simply a concert, not a sing-along. Wait to next year, I guess. Will someone please email me to tell me about Christmas Caroling opportunities? You know, like a chorus or community group that lets you tag along with them, you go to a hospital or an elderly care center, and you end up at someone’s house at the end drinking alcoholic cider, kissing under the mistletoe, and wearing a hat with felt reindeer horns. I really want to do a lot of this in December! (I found one and will announce it later)