The Boy From Oz Audience Interaction

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 1:54am

For all of you who have seen the show, what did Hugh do when he interacted with the audience (in both acts)?

[kec]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:58am

It varies from performance to performance. "Peter" basically talks to the audience throughout the show, narrating events of his life. If people come in late, he will focus on them, asking why they were late and let them know what they missed.

In the second act, he opens with the song Bi-Coastal and after it's over he picks someone from the audience and interacts with them. What exactly he does depends on the person picked. I heard that Elvis Costello was in the audience recently, and "Peter" got him up on the stage to jam with the band.

When I saw the show twice in June, Peter's choice of participant was a teacher from Melbourne who was seeing the show with his students. The teacher, Steve, was getting an upgraded seat courtesy of Peter -- from rear mezzanine to the orchestra -- but he had to "pay" for the privilege by doing a dance -- and the students got to choose. They chose a lap dance . Steve did a fine job, matching Peter move for move, even going so far as to take off his shirt. Steve was a big hit.

The second time, Peter's participants after Bi-Coastal were four men from Chicago who were sitting in the front row. They were made to get up and dance in their seats, first facing Peter, then facing the audience. Then, because one of the backup singers was new, Peter put the spotlight on her, and had the "boys from Chicago" come up to the stage and be her dance group as she sang New York, New York.

It was all great fun.

[rayoflight104]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 11:34am

When I saw it, a couple who were in their early twenties came in late, and "Peter" chose them to be the focus of the show... He had a blast with "Haze" as the guy was called and his date... Making fun of the way he danced and i'm sure its part of the show, but "peter" forgot part of his lines and had to have someone offstage shout them to him to get him on cue... Totally had a blast but only wished I could have seen who he was picking on. I was in rear mezz and couldnt see over the people in Mezz...

Ahh what a show. I loved it!

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 2:33pm

Yeah--did Hugh take a polaroid with the people he was interacting with or did he just recently start doing that?

[kec]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 2:50pm

He didn't do it either time I saw the show. I think it depends, again, on the situation, and who his choice of participant.

[timote316]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 2:53pm

I've never seen BFO, but based on this thread, it sounds like a concert, not a show lol

[Britt0913]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 2:57pm

When I saw the show in July, someone in the orchestra yelled "Shake it baby!" when 'Peter' is dancing during BI-COASTAL. He stopped the band and goes, "Shake it, baby? I will if you will." So the woman actually does! Then, he goes "Now run up and down the aisle doing it." She did it! It was the greatest thing I've ever seen.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:01pm

Oooh i just rememebered something he did--someone in the pit orchestra was actually reading a book during the show and he was talking and he looks down and he goes--"are you reading?! WHat is this boook with your itty bitty book light?" then he took out the bookmark to mess up the guy's pages.

Also, in the same perf a woman REFUSED to dance, so he made the entire audience get up and dance, and she still wouldnt despite the fact that everyone else was.

[Thoroughly Modern Cara]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:22pm

The first time I saw it 2 women walked in about 15 minutes into the show and he stopped the show and started talking to them. He asked why they were late and they said they got lost. He talked to them for a few minutes and then filled them in on what had happened in the show...he also told them he danced around naked. Then a few other times throughout the show he looked over to them and asked if they were ok and if they understood. Then during bicoastal he had one of them come up to the side of the stage and dance with him.

The second time was even better! In the front row there was little gay guy in a sparkly Gucci suit sitting by himself with an empty seat next to him. Hugh starts talking to him a little and asks why no one is with him and asks if he wants to find somebody for him. He agrees and so Hugh calls up to the rear mezz for someone to sit with him. Everyone starts yelling and the spotlight goes over the crowd and rests over some guy who was there with his wife. The guy comes down and Hugh introduces them and then talks to them a little. He says "that is the sex you wanted, right?" Then he goes back to the show. Then during Bicoastal he goes back to them and tells the guy to give the little gay guy a lapdance and he does it! He also starts stripping. Hugh is up on stage and he cannot believe what's happening so he runs offstage and grabs a camera and takes a picture of the guys. He's also dancing along with them and getting down on the stage and ohhh man it was hot. But everyone was absolutely hysterical. I took a couple of friends who hadn't seen it and they wouldn't believe that it wasn't staged.

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:35pm

Yeah--i think he tells the latecommers he was naked every night--he did it both times I was there.

[ponine24601]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:37pm

haha. those are great. i wish that i could have the chance to see the show.

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:42pm

The first time I saw the show, I was in the front. He asked me "Do you want more?" After the dance, he blew me a kiss. He picked an old gent to dance with that time. It was a riot. He made him bump and grind. The man was very nice about it. The second time, he just picked on people that were late coming in and then had them dance later on. He is truly an amazing performer.

[millie_dillmount]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:43pm

Wow, Hugh seems like an AMAZING actor. It isn't always the easiest thing to improvise and be put on the spot, but he makes it work! Now I wish I could see the show - and be late...

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:46pm

Yeah--but you have to have orchestra seats (which is virtually IMPOSSIBLE.

Do you think anyone will be late on his last perf? THat improv is gonna be a RIOT.

[CJR]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:46pm

I need to see this show.. who wants to be a generous benefactor for a poor cute girl??

[Broadwaylady]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:50pm

OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH poor cute girl, I love your icon. He is one of my favorite actors!!!!!!!!! You have to see Oz before it closes. Have your theater friends work their magic!!!!!!!

[Fan2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:53pm

Yes the interaction is different every time - it depends on what happens and what he sees. Sometimes there are no latecomers. My understanding is the Polaroid is only a recent addition. And he is so quick with the comebacks since you have no idea what the "victim" is going to say or do!

I read that at the Actors Fund benefit, the infamous "Bi-Coastal" interaction (kind of like what he did with Sarah Jessica at the Tonys) lasted about 1/2 hr. - usually it's about 10 mins. So no telling how long it will be at the last show or what will happen - I'm actually wondering if it will be like that during the last week of shows.

[Ilive4nyc]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:53pm

It seems odd to me that Hugh usually picks on the late comers, is this pre-planned? Not on this particular thread but others, plus at 3 of the shows I saw myself he picked on late comers.
It is just odd. Why couldn't he have picked me? I was there and on time for his show!

[Plum]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:55pm

Well, in exchange for being late you get publicly embarrassed. Though admittedly, some people go looking for that embarrasment. :/

[Ilive4nyc]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 3:59pm

I hate being late, especially for a show that has Hugh Jackman in it, and when my seats are up front. However, I should have been late so I could have gotten the attention from him!
I'd do just about anything for that!

[graphictype]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:14pm

Besides harassing latecomers, Peter/Hugh has, of late been singling out the underdressed in the crowd. He joked with a latecomer (wearing shorts) at a show in July, saying, "what you couldn't decide between these shorts and those shorts?!" On the flip side, he also points out those that are properly dressed for the theatre. You gotta love that. There's too much dressing down these days IMO.

[Fan2]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 4:28pm

He pointed out a latecomer at the June 26 matinee - she was dressed very well and was actually wearing a coat. He harassed her about having a coat on in late June. He actually had her take her coat off and called his dresser onstage and handed it to him to "take care of." He gave it back to her after the interaction was over.

[Mamie]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 5:16pm

He had a lot of audience interaction the two times I saw it. I remember one time there was a lady in the second or third row of the orchestra, watching through binoculars. Not opera glasses - but big ol' binoculars! He thought this was very funny and invited her onto the stage so she could see better. I believe she got a kiss later.

The last time there was a little girl in the first row, on the aisle. She was 5 and as soon as he spotted her he went to that side of the stage and leaned down and started talking just to her. He told her that if there was anything going on during the show that she didn't understand, she should just ask her mum! Then he told her that if at any time she felt like dancing around, she should feel free to do so. She could do all the dancing she wanted in the aisles at any time. He then said to the audience "that's not for the rest of you blokes - just her!". Later on he got her mom up to dance. He also made a big deal of a group of ladies who returned late from the restroom after the intermission. They told him it was because of the long line there. He suggested that the next time they should just raid the men's room. He offered to lead the raid if they wanted.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:09pm

The first time I saw BFO a woman shouted out from back of the theater that she wanted to bite Hugh's ass. He loved that and said "you want to bite my ears?" she said no your ass. Of course, he brought her up on the stage and he bent over and let her take a big bite.
If you want to read lots of accounts of Hugh's audience interaction, go to theboyfromoz.com website and click on Forum.
Lots of hilarious stories. Updated On: 8/27/04 at 06:09 PM

[CJR]

Posted: 8/27/04 at 6:18pm

Thank you broadwaylady! I love my icon too. I figured if I have to stare at something everytime I post it might as well be Denzel Washington instead of my ugly mug that I see everyday in the mirror lol