On the cold, wet night of Feb. 4, the Boston Museum of Science hosted “The Beyoncé Experience” in the Charles Hayden Planetarium. According to the museum’s website, the show “redefines nightlife in Boston” and “engages audiences in a sensory journey full of innovation, artistry, and imagination.”
For those unfamiliar with the spot, the Museum of Science is located near the West End of Boston, less than a mile from the Charles/MGH Red Line stop. For Tufts students, the trip is long and treacherous one — through slush and freezing rain after the hike to the Davis stop, ride on the T and slog to the actual museum. Though the voyage was long and perilous, all was to be justified for a Beyoncé show that supposedly redefined Boston nightlife. As the famous Vine goes, “anything for you, Beyoncé.”
After finally being seated for the show, an almost certainly underpaid employee attempted to open the show by laying out the rules for the evening: masks stay on, phone flashlights stay off and there is no exit upon reentry. Audience members waited with anticipation as the employee asked if they were ready. A unanimous “yes!” echoed through the dome.
As “Formation” (2016) came on over the speakers, some colorful squares bounced around the dome to the beat. Though the music — as Beyoncé sings in the song — slayed, the light show was questionable. The show more or less continued in this fashion, shuffling through Beyoncé’s iconic discography while displaying Windows screensaver-esque lights on the planetarium dome. At times, the lights would become simply nauseating, and for the most part, the show oscillated between doing nothing at all and doing way too much.
More entertaining than the show was arguably the rapturous participation of audience members. Lyrics were belted, participants were chastised for being rowdy and improvised dance numbers were performed in seats. Had it not been for the collective love of Beyoncé shared by an over-eager audience, the show would have been an absolute flop.
This weekend, the planetarium is hosting a similar event titled “The Fleetwood Mac Experience.” Given the soft rock style of Fleetwood Mac music, it seems impossible for the lackluster light show to be worth the $10 cost of admission. It certainly won’t redefine Boston nightlife as it once again claims.
Returning to the website’s original claims, it’s fair to say the show was an overall disappointment. The most sensory parts of the experience were the simultaneously overstimulating and boring visuals paired with some lingering unsavory smells. The only artistry at work was a sad attempt at computer-generated graphics that looked hastily homemade and were by no means innovative or imaginative.
Even better was that the lights had absolutely nothing to do with the music. During one song, the planetarium was filled with what seemed like reused projections from an underwater-themed show, with creepily close scuba divers hovering above. During another, viewers were transported through a dark and incredibly strange prisonlike structure that caused stomachs to turn.
When “Countdown” (2011) came on to close out the night, everyone had no choice but to play along with the hijinks of the evening. Viewers cheered when some odd computer-generated candles moved around the dome as their colorful flames crossed paths, even touching at points. It was bizarre and unnecessary, but the absurdity of the spectacle was the only thing keeping the show together.
Had Beyoncé herself seen the show, she likely would have been more confused than disappointed. The planetarium proves that the Museum of Science should remain a museum and not venture into the territory of Boston’s illustrious nightlife.
