WHERE do you begin to describe an experience like the Blue Man Group?

Let’s try: part-cabaret, part rock concert, stand-up comedy without words questioning the loneliness of society – demented drumming on upturned pianos, lengths of pipe, sound effects through waving hoses with the dance moves of Bruce Lee, street circus with full audience participation, happy, sad, silly, serious, all conducted by three otherworldly triplets with skin painted a hue so blue it can’t be true.

Any expectations I had before walking this particular fine line between genius and madness were completely blown away. I expected comedy, but not the seriousness. I expected some music, but not the quantity, quality or the full-size rock band. I expected an oddity, but not the sheer enjoyment the event turned out to provide.

Sometimes, the staging got a little lost in the size of the arena, and the big screens could have been made better use of for the moments focused on the boys in blue.

But, even from our distant vantage point, we were wrapped up in every detail of the show.

At any moment, you really had no clue what would come next – people walking round with televisions on their heads could just as easily be followed by marshmallows being thrown the length of a stage into someone’s mouth, or by a cover of The Who.

Welcome to the land of do-as-you-please.