Oberon

Entertaining but the people working were rude (bartenders and others).

The show was fun and the bad review is not for the performers. They were a lot of fun. My problem is this. I bought a seat. When I arrived I was told that they oversold and there was standing room only. Ok I can deal with that. We went Nd stood in the back. Not ideal but it was the last night of the performance. I wore heels because I didn’t realize I’d be standing all night so my feet hurt a bit. There was a open chAir near the bar so I sat there much to the relief of my feet. A snotty girl walks up and says «that chair I ls for staff only» and makes me stand up so she can sit down and text while the show is ongoing. So I’m standing there. Feet hurt and I kicked off one heel to relieve my foot that was cramping. Snotty leans forward and says. Your shoes need to be on at all times. Two minutes later she gets up and leaves her seat again for another 15 min. Never offering it. But instead making sure it’s clear for staff.
The days of customer being right or appreciated are apparently long gone at this theater.

Just came home after watching Sh*t faced Shakespeare which was highly entertaining — totally recommend! My only gripe though about the whole experience was the seating. After selecting the most expensive option — seated (vs stools and standing), we were relocated to booths on the left hand side which despite being very comfortable, had no view of the stage. Half way through the show we got up and stood at the bar which was a vast improvement. I checked out all the other seats and it looked like it was just the booths that had this problem. Therefore, when booking tickets, I would recommend you call through to make sure your seated option is not one of these booths. Of the top of my head, the booths were numbers 101, 102 and 103 (mine was 102)…

I’m conflicted because I love the variety of shows that they have here. The staff is always friendly — a doorman made me laugh checking my id and wondering how I crossed the border from JP to Cambridge; the ticket woman usually remembers my name and what shows I like to see. The pineapple juice is delicious and reasonably priced.
On the other hand, you have to pay extra for a seat (even if you have trouble standing) and when ordering tickets, it’s all assigned seats so you have to have your whole party together at once. That probably works out well for couples, but I’m single and I like to try to get a bunch of friends to join me at events.

I caught my first show in February and it was the Acoustica Electronica on Friday night. Oberon provided such a fun and different atmosphere for those who like live performance. The set is everchanging, and ever MOVING. So you can’t stand at one place all night. There was definitely a ton of energy and props to all the dancers and performers involved. It did get a little too overcrowded and for the short people, it can be hard to see what’s going on at times. You also need to find a perfect balance between drinking and not drinking too much you have NO IDEA what’s going on. They have the drinking experience package where you are given special drinks at key moments of the show. But instead of having them come to you and give you the drink (which is what I read on the website), you actually have to approach the bar and give them a ticket when you realize it’s time. So we spent a lot of time in the beginning trying to decipher when it’s «time». Next time, I probably wouldn’t get the interactive drinks again. But the show was great and I will definitely go back for more!

Ok… first off don’t let the title turn you off!
So it’s called the donkey show I had no expectations one way or another to be honest!
The drinks are good, and exceptionally well priced for Cambridge! The atmosphere is just crazy fun! Even our most «manly man» who was a little awkward at first had a fantastic time!
The show is great, very interactive and just an amazing time! We danced the night away and I really can’t recommend this place any higher for a really amazing fun experience with friends! Go do it you won regret it!

There is a ton of shows going on in this club at varying points including the Donkey show and touring performances. They host a monthly trivia contest as well with a cash prize to the winner. The staff is fine and the drinks are marked up like any club. There is plenty of opportunity for a fun night out here and with plenty of great dining options in Harvard Square, you should be all set for a great time.

Creepy, awesome, gory, sexual, and full of aerial talent! Went for a girls night out to see the Cirque of the Dead show. It was a live show with the acts taking place around the whole venue. Between sets, there were some pretty gruesome videos playing (where did they find those video clips?!). It’s definitely not a show for the faint of hearts. The drinks were ok (prob the worst tasting vodka tonic I’ve ever had). Still giving it five stars since the show was so awesome!

I went to the Oberon last night for Cirque of the Dead and it was great! The film they showed in the background between sets was a bit gory, but I think that is the point. The show is not for the faint at heart. The acrobats were excellent. There were a few time I gasped as they were suspended from the ceiling. The show was funny, sexy (adults only), and entertaining. Great for an alternative date night or a night out in Cambridge. It looks like the stage show is only on for the last 2 weeks in October, I would highly recommend it!

I;ve been to a number of shows here, but my favorite has to be…
The Donkey Show.
A disco-​themed, drag, quasi-​burlesque, rollerskate and glitter addled retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, it is a spectacularly fun way to spend an evening.
I went a couple of times with general admission and spent the night moving around and dancing, and sprung for a table up on the stage for my bestie’s bachelorette party. They went out of their way to be really nice to her and we all had a blast.
I’m really surprised at all the comments about the staff being rude– I’ve literally never had anyone be nasty to me here. Speaking as someone who’s worked in the service industry, I’m going to share this truth:
If you’re being treated like shit by the people who work somewhere, especially people who work for tips, it’s probably because you’ve been behaving like an asshole.
:cue «the more you know» shooting star:

I come here at least once a month for the Big Quiz Thing. The Oberon makes this event free in exchange for patrons and let me tell you, it works. Maybe a bit too well. BQT was voted best trivia in Boston so it was only a bit surprising when people were barred from entering the Oberon because they had reached capacity. That was a first for BQT and I’m sure it won’t be the last. My team has been coming here, and putting on a mediocre trivia performance, for almost two years and we’ve seen the crowd grow from only 15 something teams to over forty.
The staff has worked hard to meet the demand… and I may be wrong but I think they may have been too busy to play trivia last time? (I could be wrong). But it’s always so much fun and the friendly, non-​competitive atmosphere is comforting. Don’t get me wrong, there are some awesome solid teams (in terms of scoring, because we’re all awesome). The beer selection is not very extensive but they usually have a couple decent beers on tap in addition to a full bar. I often get one of their «signature» cocktails, either the Club Fizz or the Oberon (at least, I believe those are the names. I like Malibu coconut rum).
But, this is just looks like a review for the Big Quiz Thing, not the Oberon? What’s up with that? Well, it’s hard to separate the performance from the theater experience. And in this case, I think this represents what the Oberon is all about. Especially with its growing popularity, BQT could be a huge source of revenue for Oberon even by charging a bit of admission… but they don’t. And they encourage local artists and performers. You have the weekly donkey show and some pretty amazing productions-​Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson and The Pirates of Penzance. I even went to a Sailor Moon night organized by local musicians, performers, and writers who just wanted to share their love for Sailor Moon. You bet your turtley butt I stood up and sung along in Japanese to the theme song at the end.
The only conclusion is that Oberon cultivates an atmosphere of acceptance that draws excellence.

Nothing wrong with the performance I saw, but the staff needs an attitutde adjustment. I was actually in disbelief last night when I went to change my ticket from standing room to a seat. When I arrived, I had no idea how many people were going to be there. I came by myself to see a friend in a play, so I felt I didn’t need to take a seat if another party was going to sit together. When I saw there were plenty of seats near showtime, I went to ask about getting a seat (instead of just grabbing one anyway). I went up to the young woman selling tickets, who was doing absolutely nothing at the time, and asked her about that and her response was «Jesus, dude. You should have done that in the first place.»
«Jesus, dude?» Sorry to ruin your day, lady. As an employee of a Boston institution, dealing with hundreds of customers every single hour, if I said anything even remotely as rude to a paying customer, I would have been fired immediately, if anyone got wind of it.
If management is reading, I know more than a few people that would be happy to stand at a desk, do nothing for a few hours except click buttons on a computer, get paid, and not sass customers (i.e. the people who keep your establishment in business).

ABSOLUTELY PHENOMENAL!!! I saw the 70s themed Donkey Show and I loved it. I’ve never seen such an interactive dance club/​theater show in my life. The actors were dancing on platforms, hanging off the balconies. It was so much fun, I would definitely go back now that I know there are other themes! I would love to see one based on Grease!

While I loved the show I went to see (which was a beautiful new work, nothing at all erotic or trashy), the venue was less impressive. Technical errors abounded and the staff was rather rude. Tickets were expensive for a viewing experience that was worse than what I’ve paid less for. While I love the idea of a venue dedicated to emerging arts, all in all, it felt much more like a business that prioritized money-​making over supporting its patrons and performers.

I wouldn’t pay money to go this place. I didn’t actually, but I wouldn’t if I were you.
My group was a part of a large wedding party and the party was pretty much over before it even started. The doors opened extremely late, the crew & security were exceptionally rude, and the show wasn’t even a show.
It was advertised as a drag show loosely based around Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream — what is really was, was a gross display of chubby bachelorettes pawing at glittery dancers.
You can go to any gay club and see sexy dancers doing there thing. This wasn’t even novelty, it was blatant false advertising.
The outside of the place is somewhat nice, but it masks the fact that the inside is a dump. Dark lighting can’t hide the fact that this industrial warehouse would be better served housing frozen meats.
We left before «the show» was over because it was really a pointless waste of time & money.
You’d think that a wedding party — likely the largest group of ticket-​buying attendees on site would be treated with at least a modicum of respect, but that wasn’t the case.
I’d avoid this place and tell all your friends to do the same.
Thanks for nothing Oberon — your disgraceful treatment of my friends will ensure that this online review spreads a lot further than Unilocal

The Donkey Show was highly disappointing. There was only one person in drag, and we only saw her for a moment.
Cliché 70’s disco music and three glittered men dancing were the main attractions. This went over well for the obese, older bachelorettes (who seem to be the #1 clientele, so if that’s you– you might like it!), but for someone who expected a drag show and didn’t want to grind on a man in tiny shorts, I was disappointed.
I wouldn’t call it a «show” — no choreography, little spoken word… At one point everyone did the «YMCA». It was basically just overplayed old disco tunes and dancing, I am not sure how it connected in any way to a play or story, that description of the event seems to be an outright lie.
If you want to go to a disco club, you can surely find one with less than a $ 30 cover. This was NOT a drag show, as advertised.
I would also like to add that even though we came with a late group of people as part as a very special celebration, the staff were especially discourteous to us. You would think that a large group of people would be welcomed and treated well, but we found the opposite to be true. We were lied to and laughed at, it was confusing and not fun.
Bottom line: our group of over 20 people left before the end of the show.

As a disclaimer, I’ve only ever seen burlesque shows here. So, with that said, on with it!
I genuinely really like this venue. I have my favorite seat that I always manage to buy tickets for, and as a bonus there’s table service for ordering drinks. The staff has always been friendly, and even when my girl friend printed off her invoice instead of our tickets they were accommodating and printed them off right there at the will call desk. You won’t always see that at venues.
The shows themselves have a wide variety, and bring all sorts of individuals out. Read: People watching.
The stage is well placed, well lit, and I don’t think any seat in the house is a bad seat.
You can see boobs, and shaking asses dressed up like Timon and Pumbaa here. Not your thing? How about some fake blood and pasties? I don’t have to say much more do i?

Oberon never ceases to disappoint me. I am shocked to see such glowing reviews. I have seen three different shows at this theatre. I love the concept of the space and I set my expectations too high. I think that ART could put on some amazing shows in this space… I have just yet to see one.
The first show I saw at Oberon was «Prometheus Bound» starring Gavin Creel. Well, enough said… he was awesome enough to make it worth my time. Next up, was the Rocky Horror Picture show… this was fun because I was with a large group of people, but it could have been better. They literally just sang the soundtrack.
Most recently I saw «The Donkey Show.» Now I believe this show has been running in Boston for three years every Saturday night. Why??? Now I will admit that I am a bit of theatre snob, but I thought this was really poor quality theatre all around. At times the story was cute and you could follow what was going on and then other times… not so much… and I am a Shakespeare aficionado. So I know the basic storyline they were trying to portray. The male dancers were very good, but even their choreography could have been better. Although I loved their body glitter and they certainly had the bodies to be so scantily clad.
Bottom line: I’m glad I saw «The Donkey Show» because I thought I was missing out on this fabulous theater experience, but I think I will pass on any other shows at Oberon. However, if you are dying to go see a show there… definitely look for ticket discounts because there are many.

One word: TraniWreck!!! It is incredibly important that you attend TraniWreck. You as in everyone ever born, ever. Some of my best memories in the state have been made at TraniWreck. The Oberon space is well-​suited to this quasi-​monthly performance event, and it has a lot of smoothness that I appreciate. Smoothness: never have I heard of any drama between Oberon theater staff and performer/​organizers; staff seems receptive to accessibility concerns from event organizers and attendees; wide variety of performance possibilities as a result of Oberon being well-​equipped (silk aerials! trapeze artists! shibari displays! all of these are possible — and many MANY more — in this space).
And yes, I’ve seen OTHER events besides TraniWreck in this space, and they have all felt welcoming and pleasant. Music is especially nice here, live music, and anything related to the circus or dancing or stage theater is fun, as well.
I’ve sat down next to the stage. I’ve stood near the (full) bar at the back. I’ve sat up in the mezzanine. I’ve hung out in the «box» covered area to the right. I’ve never had a crappy time at Oberon, is my point. The ceiling is very high and contributes to my feelings of non-​claustrophobia, and I like the people who come to Oberon events. The crowd is not (to my experience) annoying, and is supportive of performers and other attendees. Only once have I ever experienced someone smoking in the venue! I’ve never seen a drunk asshole here! Go to Berkelee School of Music, for example, and see what the difference is in your air quality.
I like to make a night of it: start with sushi at Café Sushi, go to a show at Oberon, and then go to Zoe’s afterward. Parking: meters end at 8PM, but you better be a god of the road, because otherwise you will circle that block for an hour. Better to park craftily on a side street or nearby public garage if it’s past 5PM. Until 8PM it’s only 2-​hour meters, and the fine metermavens of Cambridge WILL ticket your car if you overpark past your two hours!
Basically, go to Oberon. Just pick something that looks cool, and go. It is a nice place! People will work their asses off to put on an awesome show that will leave you feeling good inside. If you’re part of the LGBTQQIAA community, you will find a ton of things to partake of, and will smile a lot. Oh, and for accessibility — Oberon is not up ANY stairs: walk/​roll/​perambulate right in through the front door, down a ~30-​foot hallway, and right into the bathrooms and/​or main performance space and/​or coat check. Love this place!

This show was amazing and I am sooo excited that I got the cheap tickets on goldstar and was on the dance floor. The dreams were a bit expensive but yummy and strong! I went with a friend and although the crowed was between 40 – 50 and we were the youngest we had a blast dancing, look at people do the mom dance and dancing with the glittery men! LOVE them! They were definitely talented dancers.
How they put on the play with music and actors was great! If you are looking for a fun Saturday night and something different than the norm definitely check it out. You will be happy.