Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party At Hulu Theatre, 1030AM, Saturday, February 20th, 2022, Reviewed
For children of all ages, “Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party” is a disgrace. I took my seven year old great-nephew, and no he didn’t hate it but he was target demo 101 and he wasn’t crazy about it. There are zero production values to go along with no book, rotten songs except the one you know, and a general cheapness unlike the Hulu Theatre itself, where it was $20 plus for a popcorn and soda, and $35 for a (pretty spectacular) bubble blower. Hulu Theatre (the small one in the basement of Madison Square Garden) is sectioned in thirds, a third of which was simply curtained off, the other two thirds were half empty. But will HBO Max (who own Sesame Street now) make money. Yes, even at $15 a seat. Is it worth $15 a seat? Absolutely not…
Sesame Street is a legend and should be, more American children learnt the basics of society, as well as the alphabet and their numbers here. But given their reputation, why do they have a touring company that, if they were performing at children’s hospitals, or at Kindergarten lunch breaks, would be fine, are simply completely too shabby for the off-season crappiness of “Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party” on Broadway no less…
According to the Sesame Street website (here): “Jump to the beat with your friends on Sesame Street! Join the fun with an interactive show that unfolds on one of the world’s most famous streets at the funniest, furriest party in the neighborhood … get ready for Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party! Learn new songs and sing along to familiar favorites with Oscar and Cookie Monster; build a snowman with Elmo; flap your wings with Big Bird; marvel at Abby’s magic; be amazed when Super Grover flies; and move to the rhythm with Rosita. Anything’s possible when everyone who shares something in common gets together. Kick your feet to the beat at Sesame Street Live! Let’s Party!”
A pair of friends outside the Sesame Street Community House have a disagreement as to whether to have a beach party or a superhero party, Cookie Monster joins in and wants a cookie party, Oscar The Grouch wants a trash party… finally, the friends at the Community agree to Compromise (guess what the letter of the day is, hint: ask Carla).
Anyway, then there is a thunderstorm and everybody would run inside but there is no inside on the stage so they get wet outside and then the fairy Abby Cadabby changes the weather and everybody files out of Hulu scratching their head and wondering why they aren’t as elated as the little girl in the video above and whether they might have been better off getting their pix taken with Elmo hustlers in Time’s Square. “Let’s Party” makes zero sense for anyone, the parents would have learnt their numbers, not to mention their civic consciousness, on Sesame Street. iIt shouldn’t have been difficult to throw them a bone here and there. As for the children? There is nothing to wow em here. I took James to see “Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas” (here) when he was four years old and his Mom (my niece, if you are keeping score at home) told me he couldn’t stop talking about it! After the show on Sunday we went to lunch and I figured I could steal some ideas for this post from James, he is a smart kid, and opinionated (don’t get him on the Greek Gods or he’ll make you feel like an idiot) he did not enthuse at all, dismissing it with an “it was alright”. Why would he? They promise an immersive experience but we don’t get one at all… it is all wet
Grade: D
