Shear Madness – A Comedy Whodunit

I love me some Shear Madness.
This is the longest running play in the United States. And it’s easy to see why. It’s fun, it’s fast, it’s filled with topical references and it’s never a bad time.
You come in and grab your seats. The play starts before the lights go down, and then you see the night in action. There’s going to be fun. There’s going to be a murder. You have figure out who did it, and they’ll play it out that way.
Don’t buy full price tickets, there are always half-​offs at the ticket hut or online. But don’t miss this one, it’s real cute.

A theatrical night for the Unilocal Elite crew for sure! Very cool stage set up where our group, who sat front row felt like we were practically part of the set. The show itself was a lot of fun and full of belly laughs. It was incredibly cool that we were able to meet the cast after and hear about how the show started, evolved over time, how the actors joined the show and interesting that they have each played almost all the roles in the cast. Numerous Unilocalers said it’s what makes seeing the show multiple times so entertaining and the fact that they work off the audience and change the story line based on our participation. Great show and nice to enjoy with an icy cocktail in hand!

It’s been a few months since I’ve laughed until I cried. Shear Madness definitely induces laughing tears.
The seating gets you up close and personal with the cast, while the whodunit theme incorporates audience participation which enhances the experience. It’s also nice to see how the cast has made it ‘their own’ over the years and incorporates a wide range of hilarious I pop culture references to keep the humor fresh with something for everyone.
The drinks are also reasonably priced and bagged snacks are emptied into fry baskets for you to enjoy minus the annoying noisy sound.
Shear Madness remains a 5 star show and it’s forever evolving.

So, I don’t think I’ve laughed so hard or so much for 2 hours.
I didn’t know what to expect, so I went a got a beer, chilled with the Unilocal crowd, and waited for the show to start.
The actors and actresses use the crowd to help solve a murder case, and it’s super funny. It’s interactive, and such good improv. I was a little involved in this case… I noticed that Barbara doing something (not giving anything away…). So when the officer asked what we saw, my voice was heard as I vocalized (a little loud, maybe) what Barbara did. So she picked on my top and called it cheap, and I said I didn’t like her dress. Hahaha… all in good fun!
I loved it! I haven’t gone to a play in years, and this was a good one. Check it out!!!

Too funny. They know how to answer anything the audience throws at them, even if it sounds crazy and that no one could have asked it before. No spoilers from me, so I’ll leave it at that. Just go, you won’t be disappointed.

Jolly good show! It’s been around for 35 years, and for good reason. It’s an interesting concept — the first half is basically scripted although they definitely add in jokes that reflect current events which I appreciated (I specifically remember there was a lamar odom joke in there).
The second half was basically all ad-​libbed as they ask the audience to question the actors and share theories, which puts the actors on their toes. And all the questions were answered without hesitation, so I was impressed.
The theatre itself is small and very old school but I loved the 360 degree experience. They also had strong drinks which is always appreciated when watching a comedy. Another cool aspect is that all the actors will play each others roles in different shows which I think is a testament to how talented and versatile the cast is. Not only will the ending be different each show, but the characters could be different too!

Very interactive show! Didn’t feel like it was too long at all. Spoiler alert: you can view this show many times and come away with a different experience each time. There is a reason why this show is running so long. I can’t say I thought the jokes were so funny that I had to slap my knee, but I had a good time. Who did it? That’s a good question.

Excellent comedy/​interactive/​mystery style play that immerses the audience in hilarity, suspense and wanting to go back for more! I don’t want to spoil it for everyone but this is a great play to take your friends and relatives as the best part is being able to share your thoughts and ideas with your peers during the act. There isn’t a moment where you are not transfixed with the practiced ease that the actors take the audience through their interactions with each other.
The most important aspect is the improv. You can tell that the show is going to be different each time since each actor/​actress seems to create opportunities for themselves to insert their own creations into the mix. This cements the idea that you will enjoy a different experience every time without the entire act seeming stale.
Another element that I usually study is the facial expressions and reactions from the stimulus being arrayed against the play group. This is definitely an experienced bunch from the smooth emotional transitions of shock, anger, slyness and confusion etc.
Location: The theater is located down a street where might seem sketchy at first but don’t let that bother you. The stage itself is in the lower levels of the Charles Playhouse. The space is cramped but actually works in your favor since you are much closer and see the entire play without being bothered by distance or height. Everyone seated has a good view albeit sometimes the poles block part of the view but usually only momentarily as the actors/​actresses move around the stage aplenty.
Refreshments: There’s no food in the establishment but there is a small bar in the back where drinks are moderately expensive.
Overall a very positive experience and will definitely go again to see the fresh materials that they come up with.
Tips for those who are going for the first time. Try to remember the order of events and who does what and when as that allows you to become a key witness to help solve the mystery.

It’s a cool, lower-​level space – if you sit in the front section you’re basically on stage. Yes, seating is a bit uncomfortable (set up like tables at a restaurant), but on the plus side at least you have something to rest your drink (s) on.
The best part of this show was the quick wit of the actors! The show becomes increasingly interactive as the show goes on and the banter between the actors and the audience was hilarious! I definitely got the most laughs out of these moments. The interaction also keeps things interesting (and affects the outcome of every show!)
A pro and a con is that there are so many types of comedy in the show: slapstick, dry humor, puns – the whole spectrum. The show also seems to try to remain «topical,» including many jokes about the current presidential campaigns and social media trends. However, I found some jokes really hit or miss.
Strangely, while many jokes are super up-​to-​date, the central gag of the sexuality of the main character (appears to be a feminine gay man who preys on one of the «straight» characters) is surely outdated, as is another strange gay «controversy» that is totally unnecessary to the plot. As a person involved in one of these «scandalous» affairs, I definitely questioned why I was laughing at several moments.
The writing of the play itself (jokes/​themes) is more like a 2/​5, but the actors (particularly their improv) are definitely ⁵⁄₅!

Easily one of THE BEST comedies I have seen. What a brilliant performance. No wonder this show is the longest running show in Boston. Understandably so. I really have to restrain myself from saying anything about the plot or anything at all — period. Take my words for it. It is hilarious beyond words. There were so many best parts during the performance. Here are my thoughts on why no one who is in Boston or visiting should miss this — what I would easily call — a Hidden Gem:
— Hidden Gem because after living all these years here, I had never seen any commercials or ads or nothing about it. Makes me wonder what kind of hole was I living under so far? (Thank you Unilocal Elite Squad and Mr. D!)
— The basic plot /​premise of the show is simple yet made super awesome, simply for one reason: The brilliant (2^nd time now — can’t use the word anymore!) performances by each and every one of the cast members
— The stage and it’s distance from the audience /​seats makes the entire show a very intimate affair. Sometimes, the way the actors interact with the audience, you almost feel like you are part of the cast yourself. Totally loved that aspect
— The set design itself is very charming and I believe they keep changing the décor depending on the season and such
— Pro tip 1: Try to pay attention to the events that happen during the show. All the details, every move, while laughing out loud with every scene. The audience plays a big role in the way the show ends
— Pro tip 2: If you are reading reviews that are trying to disclose the plot or how things unfold, stop reading. I was glad I did that when I came across reviews that tried to reveal the plot. It is a must you experience the first viewing like a virgin
— Pro tip 3: Related to pro tip 1 — try to drink less
— Pro tip 4: NA, never mind. It would be borderline spoiler. I cannot go back on my own words.
Honestly, I cannot wait to go back. I’m sure I will wait a couple of months, till the itch is unbearable. But I bet it won’t be too long. This is one of those things that I would love to do whenever friends or family visit and want to do something fun and I — selfishly — would like to avoid the typical tourist spots. This one would definitely be on my top 10 for sure.
Also, was great to see fellow Unilocal friends and made a few new. Always the best times with the fun squad!
Finally, I think it’s time for me to join
Despite having no connection /​lineage whatsoever, was called ‘this Spanish hottie here’ by one of the cast members — during the live performance. LMAO!!! Couldn’t stop laughing and crying out loud! (especially given this has happened to me a buncha times before) Muchas Gracias Amigos (that’s how far my Spanish goes) :o) for a riot of a night.

Shear Madness is a wickedly funny murder mystery play that is part script, part improv, and all hilarious!
The audience vote picks the outcome if who the murderer is at each viewing, but there are endings written where each character could be the killer.
Last night was my 3^rd time seeing the play.
I highly recommend Shear Madness. I promise you’ll have a great time, and you’ll hear & see things in a 2^nd viewing that weren’t in the 1^st. For example, new topical to local & world news jokes are written in every week. And if you’re with a group, don’t be surprised if your group name appears in the show.
Go to the show ready to have fun, and speak up during the audience participation portions!
The show is PG with some racy jokes, but as long as you’re high school aged or over, they’ll appear pretty tame.

Shear Madness is the everchanging
(and I mean nightly) comedy show
where you decide whodunnit.
This is Boston’s longest running show,
and there are so many reasons why:
The actors, the improv, the new show every night!
THE DEAL: Even if you’ve already seen it,
These improv comedians create a bit of
a new show every night. See it again…
It feels SO good to laugh… Just do it!
Check Bos tix and online sites
for super sales on tickets too.

Cast was funnier than heck! Laughed a lot — didn’t know what to expect but was not disappointed.

On a hotel concierge’s suggestion, we purchased half price tickets via BosTix and attended this show one night.
I found the humor a bit contrived. In particular, too many jokes about mispronouncing/​not understanding words (way overdone).
It was fun mostly because laughter is contagious and others were getting into it. Made for a fair night out, but I wouldn’t have wanted to pay full price.

End of July 2015.
A friend was visiting me for the weekend. While strolling through Faneuil Hall Marketplace, we saw the events kiosk and chose this show based on «shear» (sorry, couldn’t help myself) availability. Amaaazing!
So it’s been running for 35 years? No surprise. But I haven’t seen many adverts around town for it, so it has to be a hidden gem. The chemistry of the cast was fantastic, and I can only imagine each group does just as well after so many years in productive. The individual characters were wicked amusing also. They’re written so well!
Our seats weren’t great, but the place wasn’t full, so we moved up a scoche. –1 star for the rather uncomfortable seats. (Sorry, dudes. Add some padding!) But don’t let that stop you!
I don’t want to give too much away, so just go!

Great show! We got discounted tickets on Goldstar. I ended up paying $ 10 more/​ticket for premium table seats, but on a Friday night pretty much everyone was at a table seat, so I don’t think it was worth it. The show itself was awesome. Very funny and it seems like they update it to have current events/​humor. Drinks are served before and at intermission. I would definitely recommend it for a easy, fun night out.

35 years this show has been running and for a good reason.
The theater is quaint, but the right size because there’s a lot of interaction with the crowd. The actors were brilliant. The material was fresh and included plenty of references to today’s news. One item that was included was in the news literally 2 days earlier!
Located behind the Marriott Courtyard in the theater district, the theater has a full bar, and snacks available. They also just recently added a lift, so it’s now wheelchair accessible.
If you like to laugh, this is a perfect show for you.

I’ve seen Shear Madness a couple times, and it’s always such a blast! Very funny, enjoyable, casual atmosphere, all good things! The actors change all the time, which adds to the fun. Audience interaction is never predictable, and can be hilarious! They also do a great job of keeping the jokes current and on-​point.
I just saw the show again this past weekend, and it was over the top! I went when I was in middle/​high school, and we brought a 14yo, but I wouldn’t bring any young kids, as there is a lot of sexual innuendos and references. I am sure much of it would go over a little kid’s head, but if you are sensitive to that stuff, I’d keep the little ones home. The humor is a little on the dirty side, and far from «politically correct», but brings many laughs!
The theater is tucked on a side street in the theater district of Boston, easy to find. There is a T stop just a few blocks away at the Tufts Medical Center, orange line takes you right back to North Station!
Where they loose some points: the seating for the show is a bit cramped, and there are some blocked views from the corners. The actors do a great job of playing to all sides, but some facial expressions do get lost if your not in the front rows.
The staff were friendly, and did let us move closer after the first half to open seats closer to the front.
The bar is SO expensive, $ 8 for ONE BOTTLE of Harpoon. Needless to say we shared one bottle, cause I can buy a whole six pack for that cost!
If you bring a whole group you’ll get to influence the show even more! Great for high-​school groups and parties! I will certainly go again sometime!

Oh, my goodness. I saw Shear Madness last weekend when visiting my sister in college and it was the clear standout from my time spent in Boston. Shear Madness is the longest running non-​musical play in the world; my parents actually went on a date to see this show when they were younger. We were at first unsure we were going to be able to see the show because $ 50 a ticket was way too much money. We had trouble finding any discount tickets. With some research, we discovered that if you’re a AAA member, you can get your ticket for $ 37.50. If you’re a college student, you can get $ 20 student rush tickets an hour before showtime. We decided to leave it up to fate and try to get the student rate. I called the day before and was reassured that they had plenty of space left and that we would be able to get the student tickets the following day. We arrived at 2 PM on Sunday, paid $ 20 each in cash, and explored the area before the show.
The seats at small tables can be pretty cramped. We were seated at a table of four, but the chairs are stacked right next to each other so it’s actually impossible to even put your legs out in front of you if you’re in the back row of the four seats. We would not have been happy with that seating situation if the house had been full, but thankfully we didn’t have to share our tiny nightstand-​size table with anyone else. There was also a bar with drinks and snacks available, including before, at intermission, and after.
The show itself was HILARIOUS. Their brand of humor, chock full of innuendos and puns, is exactly my brand of humor. So, suffice it to say I had a great time. I will add that a lot of it is subtle, so it’s safe to bring kids because they won’t understand it. They have lots of current pop culture references, for example with references to Taylor Swift and Hillary Clinton running in 2016. I thoroughly enjoyed it all from start to finish. The premise is basically that there’s a (pretty terrible) hair salon, an elderly pianist woman who lives upstairs who dies, and a police investigation of who killed her. They break the fourth wall about 30% through the production, first asking the audience to correct them when recounting previous events, then the audience gets the chance to directly question the different characters.
SPOILER ALERT: About halfway through, they poll the audience asking, at that point, who they thought was guilty. It turns out that whatever the majority vote is, they decide to swing the plot so that the majority winner is the one who’s guilty. Basically, that means the ending isn’t decided until that vote.
*There’s no photography or videography allowed in the theater.

Came in here last-​night with my boyfriend on a whim. We had just finished dinner and blue man group and it was only 830 so we figured we should keep the night going.
Everyone that works there was super nice (box office, host, bartender)
The show itself was not what we had expected at all-​we just figured it was a stand up comedy show but it was more of a funny play/​skit. When the first started i was a little confused on how this would play out but It was surprisingly super good and the actors were very very funny!
I recommend it for a date night, or family night out (over 18 obv)