Review of The Pee-wee Herman Show on Broadway (2011) by Patrick K — 19 Dec 2016

I cannot say enough fine things about "The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway." There was true magic in the "Pee-Wee's Playhouse" TV series and I was sad when it abruptly went away in 1991. I admit I could not imagine it being re-tooled for the Broadway stage without a major loss of magic. I am overjoyed to be wrong.

The stunning visuals are all here. The manic, exhausting pacing is all here. The eclectic bunch of characters (live actors, puppets, animations, and various hybrids) all make it alive and well to the stage. The sharp, wicked humor is all here. (Why, I laughed more at this show than any comedy - heck, any FIVE comedies - in the last year.) And, oh yes, Pee-wee Herman himself is reincarnated in all his nutty glory in this show. The years have not dulled him. In fact, he is more "Pee-Wee" here than he was twenty years ago. I have never watched a recording of a live performance where I wished more that I had been in the audience.

I'll be watching my Blu-ray of "The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway" again and again over the years. Hey, if I watch this masterpiece enough, maybe I'll never grow old. And maybe one day I'll be able to fly ... just like the genius maestro of this comic opera for kids of all ages.