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Peer Reviews The Santaland
Diaries: Walking in a Winter Wonder-What-The-Hell-Is-Going-On-Here!...Land Entire contents are copyright © 2007, Todd Zeigler. All rights reserved.
An acting teacher of mine once frowned upon referring to theatrical performances as "plays." He believed viewing our endeavors as recreation cheapened the art form, reducing it to mere amusement instead of grand, voyeuristic exploration of human truths. (By the way, his latest play happens to be about fairies.) I'm not knocking him. Chekhov, Albee and Pinter would certainly agree. But Actors Theatre's one-man production of David Sedaris' short story "The Santaland Diaries" shows that, on special occasions, an oversized tricycle looks just right on stage. Embodying Sedaris' deadpan voice, Actors alum Oliver Wadsworth is as endearing as the best-of-class clowns. His exuberance in the role of "David" persists from lights up to hasty exit, even as the laundry list of absurdities he encounters in the New York City branch of Santa's Village grows like the jolly old saint's list of "Strange Children."
That exuberance is a wise and necessary tool for keeping the one-man show engaging. Anyone who has seen Sedaris live or heard his readings is familiar with his speaking style -- dry as a cookie left on the fireplace. Wadsworth pumps out the holiday cheer as quickly as he runs it over -- no reindeer required. Paul Owen's scenic design is a perfect playpen for Wadworth's Yuletide vitriol. The actor lounges on Santa's throne, manhandles battling Barbies, circles the stages on a tricycle, and bounds across oversized presents with the aid of a mini-trampoline. Susan Neason decks Wadsworth out in a picture-perfect green coat and candy-cane leggings. This snow-white wonderland is begging for some mudslinging. Sedaris and Wadsworth are a perfect team for eliciting that Christmas feeling most of us are familiar with: exasperation, cynicism, eyebrow-raising hostility. Anyone with a pulse and a family tree can sympathize with the haunting side of the holiday spirit. They open the audience up perfectly to a hard-won, heartwarming surprise ending -- before hightailing it out ahead of the next snowstorm of holiday cheer. (Screaming, actually.) The local community has responded heartily, as Actors Theatre has extended the run of the show to December 30. If your idea of reindeer games might involve an orange vest, a bow and arrow, and a lot of patience, come inside instead for some adult "spirits" and The Santaland Diaries!
The Santaland Diaries (502) 584-1205 / (800) 4-ATL-TIX (428-5849) Posted Nov. 8, 2007
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