Acting Up

Cilicia A. Yakhlef

THE SANTALAND DIARIES

The Bug Theatre
3654 Navajo Street
303-477-9984
F, Sa, Su through Dec. 30 Tickets $12-$15
Pay what you can night Nov. 11

If you’re already getting wigged out over the holidays, take a trip to The The Bug Theatre where Santa’s most cynical little helper sneeringly saunters through the pitfalls of commercialism and seasonal stress syndrome in David Sedaris’ “The SantaLand Diaries.” This is an auto-biographical piece in which the playwright gives a hilarious account of his tenure as an elf at Macy’s. David, a college graduate and aspiring artist, takes a job as “Crumpet the Elf” because it is “one of the most frightening career opportunities” he may ever happen upon. In his off time, Crumpet is a bong smoking, starving intellectual who derides the lessons learned in “elf school” and despises the enthusiasm people actually seem to have for the job of elf. “It makes one’s mouth hurt to speak with such forced merriment,” he says.

Sedaris’ inner monologue combined with outstanding direction by Alex Weimerand and an inspired performance by Gary Culig actively brings the audience into the subconscious of David— a.k.a Crumpet—making the audience privy to the dysfunctional underbelly of SantaLand. Culig convincingly gives a variety of performances, portraying a full spectrum of visitors to SantaLand. Onstage, without even so much as a discernible transition or an out of place breath, Culig shows us screaming mothers trying to get their kids to smile, lost foreigners that didn’t know what they were getting in line for and redneck jokesters who ask Santa for “a broad with big tits.” He gives us the inside scoop on a wide spectrum of elf duties: informing Santa of various deformities of upcoming children, singing on command, or being one of the “pointer elves” that directs the massive milling crowd through beribboned cattle-chutes on their way to the almighty mall Mecca—Santa’s lap. Crumpet describes a plethora of Santas—some who spit, some who threaten whining children, some who ogle harried mothers, some who preach holistic health and some who are so whacked-out they really do think they’re Santa. It is no surprise that “The SantaLand Diaries” played to a nearly packed house on the opening weekend of this production. Flawless direction, superior acting, sound set design and a well drafted script make this play well worth seeing, regardless of the time of year. Mounting holiday stress will doubtless bring The Bug a sell-out crowd for the rest of the run.

So, if you’re already beginning to feel the electric hum of a nation on commercial overload and your dreams are haunted by flashing mini-lights and grinning plastic Santas; if you can’t hear the word chestnut without automatically thinking “roasting on an open fire” and if the smile on your face feels as if it were painted on with drywall mud, remember you are not alone. Others share your angst and you can find them at The Bug. Make your reservations early though, there are only eighteen shopping days left until Christmas. A

Directions and contact information: www.bugtheatre.com