REVIEW: Boom Chicago in Amsterdam

Last Wednesday, Schrobbenmaster and I went to watch Boom Chicago in Amsterdam. I had been feeling quite culturally barren since coming here, as musicals and stage shows are all in Dutch and I don't particularly feel like "working" to enjoy a show. So I asked Schrobbenmaster if there was anything at all that I could enjoy in English. He then described Boom Chicago as a show by Americans, basically taking the mickey out of the Dutch.

How could I pass up something like that?!

So we looked online (I love how you can get anything online here) and reserved a Burger Deal (Burger + show) for last Wednesday.

Boom Chicago has a permanent address at the historic Leidsepleintheater in the heart of Amsterdam. After the show, the bars around it were filled with people and lights and tourists, and everything looked really cool. Gotta go back there for some nightlife action soon.

We arrived right on the dot of our reservation at 18:30. Picked up our tickets at the box office and went into the performance/dining area.

All pictures were taken with the iPhone, and we all know it doesn't ever deliver when it's even slightly dark. My fault for not bringing a camera with me. They were also meant to be tweeted, which is why I didn't shoot horizontally.

Anyway, although we pre-ordered and paid for the Burger Deal, drinks are not included, as it always is in this country.

The room/hall is really nice, dark, old and woody. Like those old-time cabaret shows in America that they showed in Funny Girl and the film version of Chicago (never saw it onstage).

I was so friggin hungry, so was absolutely THRILLED to get an American-sized burger and fries (were more like chips but just as awesome). Not as thrilled to get an Amsterdam-sized drink though. Especially as it had to last 4 hours till the end of the show (I'm such a stingypuss, I know). But, seriously, check out the size difference of the plate and the drink!

The show we watched was The Best of Boom Chicago, but... I do have to say I was a little let down by that claim. Most of the show was improv with suggestions from the audience, a la Whose Line Is It Anyway, which is all fine and amusing and all, but whatever happened to the dissing of the Dutch? The few parts that I genuinely giggled and enjoyed myself, I have to admit, were the parts that they did things related to the Dutch. Not necessarily insulting them, but even acting like them, or mocking certain behaviour that outsiders find uniquely peculiar.

On the whole, it was okay to pay €29,95 for the show, it was still enjoyable... but it just wasn't as enjoyable as it should have been.

I think I would actually have enjoyed Upgrade or Die! more, as it would be something else I can relate to quite well, being a semi-nerd myself. Well, something cultural for next month!