Our Boy Blue

In Mallory Square last night with Katherine and Eddie, we saw Blue, a street performer who juggles fire, rides a unicycle, and does hat manipulation, all the while keeping up a gentle and humorous prattle with the audience and passersby.  We have seen Blue's show three times.  He's our favorite performer.  He is in great physical shape, as you'll see by the photos below.  He also is funny without being crude or mean.  He is quick with a quip for a person walking by the show and not stopping.  "Hey, Dad, see you back at home."

Blue starts and ends with hat manipulation, moving a bowler from his head to his foot and then flipping it back on his head sans hands.

He uses three big guys from the audience to hold the unicycle while he mounts it.  What trust!  The first time we saw this, a burly guy came up and dropped the F-bomb.  Blue spoke quietly to him and kept control of the show. I felt admiration for his skills.  Once he's all set, he says, "When I count to three, let go of me, and run!"

He uses a young boy to throw the clubs up to him, as he sits on the 10 foot unicycle.  After the kid does this, the boy gets applause from the audience and praise from Blue. Blue tips the boy $5.00.  He says,"When you go back to your parents, and they say, "Son, give that money back to Blue at the end of the show, don't do it.  Say, 'No, Mom.  No, Dad. You give Blue $10.00.' "

Then he lights the clubs and juggles atop the unicycle.  He finishes with hat tricks on the bike.

Here are some photos of Blue from last night.