Review: A VERY NAUGHTY CHRISTMAS, Southwark Playhouse Elephant
Coming up from down under comes a Christmas cabaret/burlesque show like no other. Sketch comedy, stand up, kinky dancing and burlesque strip teases all combine with updated versions of your favourite Christmas songs for a night of very adult fun.
This show was first performed at Brisbane Powerhouse in Australia in 2017 and it was very successful. So successful in fact, that the show has been performed every year since then, making this year its eighth year. The show has amassed a cult following in Australia and is currently being performed in Brisbane, on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne. The production at Southwark Playhouse Elephant marks its official London transfer.
We enter the stage space and are immediately transported into a Hallmark Christmas movie; the set is exactly what you’d expect from a Christmas concert-esque set. The neon green trees are decorated with gold baubles, the main performance area looks like a chocolate box and the sign hanging above it all has the show's name in lights. It really puts everyone in the holiday spirit as we take our seats in anticipation. If you didn’t know it was a show specifically for adults, you’d think you were in for a nice family celebration.
The cast themselves are very talented at what they do, with Stephen Hirst being the stand out as Naughty Santa. His voice is melodic, he’s incredibly good at staying in constant dialogue with the audience and really knows how to sell the comedy elements in this show. We particularly enjoy the segment in which Naughty Santa tells ‘The Christmas Story’ and invites an audience member to be Jesus. We don’t expect to be singing ‘Happy Birthday’ in a Christmas show but we are here for it and the entire audience is having a great time standing up to sing this song.
However, we do find the humour within this show to be hit and miss, namely because a lot of it may not connect with London audience members the way it does with Australian audience members, due to the fact that the comedy in the show is clearly designed for Australian audiences. There’s an Australian Christmas carol about kangaroos which, whilst lovely to hear and interesting to experience a different culture’s traditions, doesn’t quite land as humorously as seems to be intended. There’s also a Gen Z joke, which borders on openly offensive and critical, which seems to break the jolly mood a bit and appears to make some audience members feel uncomfortable. Although we really enjoy how most of this show pokes fun at common Christmas experiences within the songs and the songs do hit every note comedically. The show could transfer more of this type of comedy into their sketches to enable it to better connect with the London audience.
We admire Jack Lark’s talent during his main strip tease in the show for the number, ‘Walking Round in Women’s Underwear’. His voice sounds almost like Michael Buble, and his subtle charisma makes the number charming. This number is a great demonstration of how this show openly embraces people's identities, especially in regards to sexual desires and expressions, something that only truly great burlesque performances are able to do.
Speaking of the burlesque element, there is a well considered mix of classic and modern burlesque combined with aspects of dance. At times, it's very risque and at others it's purely tasteful, either way it's entertaining to watch.
Raw, raunchy and ripped for your pleasure, a fun night out that's easy to watch.
*** Three stars
Reviewed by: Megan O’Neill
For more info on A Very Naughty Christmas, please click here.
