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Denver Post Theater Critic Dec. 22 - As raunchy and funny as it is, "The Eight Reindeer Monologues'' also has a dark, serious twist that notches it up from irreverent entertainment to a thought-provoking little piece of theater. Smoothly directed by Gillian McNally, and nicely staged with costumed elves who scamper in and out to change the set, this holiday piece is exactly what it purports to be: A series of monologues by eight highly individual reindeer who each give us his or her take on whether or not Santa Claus sexually harassed the bold, sexy Vixen. There are two main schools of thought. If Santa sexually abused her, maybe she deserved it, prancing around as she did in sexy getups, and openly acknowledging her active sex life. On the other hand, no matter what Vixen's present appearance and past history, she still had a right to say no. Vixen (Krishna Sallman), vibrant and defiant in a tiny red spaghetti-strapped dress and bright matching lipstick, look right at us with big sad eyes, and says she did say "No.'' The actors playing the reindeer all do a fine job, but some have stronger material to work with than others. Particularly effective is Brian Upton as the angelic-faced Comet, who defends Santa with TV evangelist fervor, striding back and forth, yanking his tie loose, and slamming home his points. He tells us that Santa found him when he was running with Hell's Herd and doing coke, gin and bad marijuana. Comet says Santa saved him from a life of crime, praises Santa's work with troubled deer, and assures us that "behind that bowl full of jelly, is a heart of gold.'' Carla Kaiser is hilarious as Blitzen, a podium-pounding black-clad feminist who strongly defends her teammate. "Why would Vixen lie?'' she asks. Blitzen also notes the reindeer have to fly "dressed in nothing but leather straps and jingle bells.'' Limp-wristed and lisping, Danny Tamez wins laughs as Cupid, "the only openly gay reindeer.'' Amanda Kay Berg is effective as the dizzy-brained Dancer, with her overriding concern about vacation days and sick days. Exercising with weights and a jump rope, Zak Brown is well-chosen as the lead reindeer, the unquestioning supermacho Dasher. Ricardo Brown is comic as the affected posing, Hollywood. As Donner, who in his greed and ambition sacrificed his slow-minded, disfigured son, Rudolph, to Santa's twisted perversions, John Mandes exhibits the right mix of sadness, regret and self-justification Dark and different, and often wildly funny, "The Eight-Reindeer Monologues'' is an interesting entry on the theater holiday scene. |