The Times-Picayune - December 8, 2006
By David Cuthbert
'Reindeer' confidential
"The Eight Reindeer Monologues" is the best theater I've seen at the Marigny Theatre in some time. Written by Jeff Goode, who specializes in offbeat holiday comedies ("Marley's Ghost -- The Musical," "Yucatan Christmas Shopping"), it's a serio-comic "Rashomon" at the North Pole, where the reindeer weigh in on the shocking accusation that Santa may have been sexually harassing them, with Vixen about to hold a news conference to tell her story to the media.
The actors are quite good. Taryn Vinet is the outraged feminist Blitzen, who says Santa treated Vixen "like a piece of venison." The poised, smirking Jason George plays Cupid, "the only openly gay reindeer," who sighs, "Oh, how Santa loves that whip!" Chris Schlumbrecht is Prancer, who calls himself "Hollywood" ever since the "Prancer" movie came out, and Duck Tennet is the jittery, spaced-out Comet, who says Santa saved his life with his rehabilitation work with "troubled deer."
Mandi Turner as Dancer is an airhead ballerina with a touch of "A Chorus Line" ("I need this job!"). Dasher, played by T.J. Toups, has never been the same since he smacked into a sky- scraper. Edward Carter's serio-comic turn as Rudolph's father tells of a damaged son Santa may have loved too much. Vixen turns out to be an S&M pin-up girl in skimpy black leather and torn black net stockings who doesn't want to be "The Wench Who Stole Christmas" but feels she must reveal all. There's also some talk about Mrs. Claus getting sloshed on eggnog and indulging in a passion for "elf-tossing."
Glenn Meche directs, and the nicely varied cast has fun with their roles.