This Australian import was seen in Brisbane in 2023, and may perhaps be best described as an “adult” burlesque revue, incorporating song and dance as well as sketches written by Matthew Semple, Stephen Hirst and Emily Kristopher, with Jo King and Lisa Martin providing an excellent “low-budget” two-piece band.
The eight strong cast: Alexia Brinsley, Kirby Burgess, Shay Debney, Stephen Hirst, Jack Lark, Rachel MacDougall, Chris O’Mara and Rebecca Rolle, all work extremely hard throughout the no interval one-hour 45-minute show.
The most successful items are the musical numbers, especially the tap dance sequence and a pastiche of the naked “balloon” dance near the end of the show where large playing cards are used to hide the cast’s blushes. However, there seem to be too few set pieces like this. All the cast get a solo spot, notably Stephen Hirst as Santa.
Michael Buble’s “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” appears to be innocent enough until the toys mentioned have clearly been purchased not from Hamleys but from Ann Summers!
The weakest parts of the evening are the sketches, or “skits” as they are called in the programme, the original material often being quite weak, such as the Nativity Story involving the audience which seems very slow and, sitting in the side balcony and being able to see much of the audience, it was obvious that most were not amused! The whole show would greatly benefit by being pruned by about twenty minutes, jettisoning the least funny material.
Director and choreographer Daniel Venz has attempted to give the production as much pace as possible, using the stage cleverly, including the upper level for more intimate songs which are often imaginatively projected. The small acting area has an audience at six tables, making the space quite constricted for dancing. One assumes that the said audience at these tables purchases their tickets knowing that they will also be taking part in the proceedings!
Neither set design nor lighting is credited, which is a shame as they make an important, imaginative contribution to the proceedings.
It is by no means a perfect show, which includes more than a smattering of “bad” language and outrageous themes, but A Very Naughty Christmas makes for a welcome alternative to the family/child-friendly shows that swamp theatres this time of the year.
Review by John Groves
If you like having a laugh, partial nudity and a playlist with everything from classic carols (which you’ll never hear the same way again) to modern pop, A Very Naughty Christmas is the show that’s sure to get you in a holiday mood. So whether you’re planning to be naughty or nice this year, pour a glass of cool Chardy and join us for a night of escapism, debauchery and some very rogue jingle bells.
Cast: Alexia Brinsley, Kirby Burgess, Shay Debney, Stephen Hirst, Jack Lark, Rachel MacDougall, Chris O’Mara, Rebecca Rolle
Created by Alex Woodward and Daniel Venz
Director/Choreographer: Daniel Venz
Original Songs and Skits: Matthew Semple
Skits: Stephen Hirst, Emily Kristopher
Musical Supervisor: Dom Woodhead
Additional Lyrics: Tom Collins, Aurélie Roque
Creative Contributor/Dramaturg: Alister Smith
Woodward Productions presents
A VERY NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS
Southwark Playhouse Elephant
28 November 2024 to 11 January 2025
