The Pee-wee Herman Show

The Pee-wee Herman Show

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Watching Paul Reubens's gleeful resurrection of his iconic kids' world is akin to subjecting yourself to a 90-minute roller-coaster ride: The highs are numerous, the sights are kooky, and by the end you're giddy with laughter and a Pee-wee bit dizzy. Every minute, a new sight gag, one-liner, song, video, eccentric character or familiar catchphrase ("I know you are, but what am I?") rounds the bend. It's also highly interactive (audience members are encouraged to scream throughout, which they do with zeal), one of the many reasons this incarnation of Pee-wee is a treat for kids and a festive nostalgia trip for parents.

Fans of Reubens's Emmy-winning children's TV series, Pee-wee's Playhouse, or his 1981 HBO special, The Pee-wee Herman Show—which introduced his alter-ego manchild to the masses—will recognize much of the material in this production. Kids and newbies, however, will be surprised from start to finish (remember your amazement the first time you discovered Pee-wee?). The "plot" chronicles a day in Pee-wee's magical home, which he shares with his animated inanimate friends (Chairry, Clocky, Magic Screen, Globey), and frequent quirky visitors including Mailman Mike (John Moody), the King of Cartoons (Lance Roberts), Cowboy Curtis (Phil LaMarr), Jambi the Genie (cowriter John Paragon) and Miss Yvonne (Lynne Marie Stewart, who isn't as stunning as she was back in the '80s, but is still the "prettiest lady in Puppetland," according to Pee-wee). New to the playhouse is Sergio, a Handy Manny type, and a bit about connecting to the Internet. (Reubens's IM-speak freakout is hilarious.)

Youngsters will flip for the extraordinary puppets—especially Pterri the Pterodactyl—and the jaw-dropping set, which pops with color, shapes and movement. Like the TV show, which worked on multiple levels, there's lots of subversive humor for adults—and it should all fly high over the kids' heads, just like Pterri. Admittedly, Pee-wee is an acquired taste, and not everyone has it. But for those who like their entertainment quick, campy and cotton-candy sweet, this show should please your palette.—Julia Edelstein

The Pee-wee Herman Show plays at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre through Jan 2, 2011.

See more...

• Paul Reubens interview for The Pee-wee Herman Show
• Theater articles
• Articles from this issue