Shear Madness is a Must-See Play When Visiting Boston

A few weeks ago Nick and I took a drive south and spent one night in our favorite city. Even though it was just for one night we still managed to have a great time, but I’ll admit it was a bit tricky trying to come up with something for us to do in the evening that we would both enjoy equally. After all, Nick had already been to Boston with Paul earlier in the summer to attend his first-ever WWE pay-per-view event, so I knew I had a tough act to follow. We stayed at The Liberty Hotel, which is gorgeous and sits in just about the most convenient location in the city, so I knew once we parked our vehicle it was staying put until we were forced ready to leave. I did multiple searches and scoured the internet to try and find something fun for us to do together. Nick expressed interest in seeing a show or a play, but he turned down my first suggestion, so I knew I had my work cut out for me. The really great thing, though, is that Nick is 15, so I don’t have to worry as much about something being too mature or inappropriate for him, which is why I was thrilled when I came across Shear Madness! Did you know it’s the longest running off-Broadway play in American Theatre history? While I had at least heard of it before I had no idea the show had been going for so long and quite frankly, I was a little stunned and annoyed with myself that I hadn’t seen it before this trip with Nick. It was pretty easy to convince him that we would both love the play, so I secured two tickets and couldn’t wait to make our way to the theater district.

In my research I read many reviews of Shear Madness and every single one of them was positive while promising a lot of laughter and a fun night out while taking in Boston’s most hilarious whodunit at The Charles Playhouse. My simple review would be that it far exceeded my expectations and made me laugh until my cheeks hurt, but that wouldn’t be very helpful if you’re trying to decide on something fun to do the next time you’re in Boston. Here are a few of my favorite things about Shear Madness, along with some reasons why I believe it’s a must-see when visiting the city I love.

• Jordan Ahnquist! Here’s the thing. The entire cast is wonderful and they have great chemistry, but Jordan (who plays Tony) absolutely steals the show with his wit, facial expressions, and comedic timing. I have to be honest and tell you that even though I thoroughly enjoyed all of the acting, there were many times I found my eyes locked on “Tony” in anticipation of him doing something funny when nobody was supposed to be looking.
• The size of theater. The theater is small, intimate, quaint and there are really no bad seats in the house, but I’ll admit to being pleased that Nick and I were given seats basically front and center. This, however, made Nick a little nervous especially since I told him it was a pretty interactive show. I promised I would try not to draw too much attention our way. I’m horrible at keeping promises. Oh, an important piece of the advice, which is one I’m glad I read in a review, is that the theater can get pretty chilly so make sure you bring a light jacket or sweater. Also, bring a few dollars for drinks and light snacks, which you can purchase before the show gets started.
• There’s a lot of innuendo in Shear Madness, which I happened to enjoy a lot and is also the reason you probably should not bring younger children to the show.  There are also a few pop culture jokes and while I “got” all of the references I don’t think you necessarily need to have first-hand knowledge in order to appreciate the humor.
• As I mentioned already, the show is pretty interactive, which only adds to the fun. The actors get the audience involved by asking questions about the murder that’s occurred because let’s face it, they were the ones who witnessed the crime take place. Or did they? The best part is that nobody is put on the spot, so you can interact as much or as little as you want and offer input while helping Boston’s finest crack the case.
• Nick loved the show. He’s even mentioned it several times since and commented about how funny many of the jokes were and let’s face it, teenagers can be the toughest critics, so his feedback might be my favorite thing about Shear Madness.

Here’s the bottom line. If you want something to do in Boston and are in the mood to laugh until you nearly pee your pants then Shear Madness should be at the top of your list. As a matter of fact, I personally can’t wait to take my husband to see the show because I have no doubt I’ll laugh just as much the second time around!

Disclosure: I was provided with two complimentary tickets to attend the Shear Madness show in Boston, but as always, thoughts and opinions are my own.