L-to-R - Johnathan Bangs, Kevin Rainsberger, David Patrick Ford [Photo: Michael A. Eaddy]
The Ultimate Christmas Show (abridged) at The HIPP:
Book by Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin
The premise is simple: Bad Weather causes participants of a Christmas Pageant Show various delays. Therefore, three multi-talented members of the cast take on the challenge of performing the entire show themselves. We already have a great fish-out-of-water situation which is comedic to start with. But as these actors improvise, succeed, fail, and falter, the comedy ratchets up and we're so happy it's happening to them instead of us. That's the central premise of comedy. Add to the fact that the performance is in a non-denominational church ("We'll believe anything ...") and so any and all are welcome regardless of race, color, creed, socioeconomic status, sex, gender, and religion ... for mass skewering. Did I mention this show is in part, a musical? The title of the best song is the only joke I'll reveal: Happy Merry Chrismakwanukkahanzukkah.
Sharply directed by Stephanie Lynge, the play is filled with physical action. The actors make full use of the Hippodrome's thrust stage and voms. Robert P. Robbins' lighting is a dazzling wonder. Seamless sound design by Amanda Yeats adds a great sense of place and makes a fourth character out of the weather. And costumes by Erin Jester, so many costumes! How the actors get in and out of these garments is like watching a magic show. Equally detailed and entertaining are all the props the actors make use of, including a table of foley-artist sound-effect instruments (properties by Elaine Shoaf). Amber Wilkerson (Stage Manager), Loren Meza, and the unheralded behind-the-scenes crew work invisibly dressing, moving, organizing -- we often fail to realize the actors don't do this alone. It truly takes a village. With all the moving parts, the Hipp is expert at making the complicated and impossible seem effortless. Scenic Designer / Technical Director Warren Goodwin delivers a flexible dreamlike setting rich in details for both this play, and the legendary traditionally performed Christmas Carol. As if one set weren't difficult enough, we have two interconnected but entirely individual worlds in which to delight. As for Christmas Carol - this year's production is better, tighter, faster, more musical, and to a turn, far scarier! Make sure to catch both plays.
Back to our story: In terms of style, the comedy is Three Stooges, Monty Python, Saturday Night Live, with a little What's My Line thrown in for good measure. A nod to vaudeville and radio plays included. As much as this reviewer hates audience participation, these moments were the gems of the show. In particular, a loopy sing-along to The Twelve Days of Christmas went hysterically and memorably off the rails.
The players introduce themselves using their real names and thus; being actors we've seen in other roles at the Hippodrome, embue an immediate familiarity and rapport. A number of Gainesville insider jokes abound. Each actor brings his special brand of skills to the table. Kevin Rainsberger strikes one as an authority figure, perhaps a regional Publix manager. It's delightful to watch him frazzle and freak with each obstacle to the success of the show. Jonathan Bangs, who starred as Chad Deity (The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety), brings palpable charisma and charm. A quick wit and sharp on the fly, it's a pleasure to watch him roll with the spontaneous interactive elements of his fellow players and audience. He may also have the HIPP record for quickchange into a pregnant woman. David Patrick Ford, whom we've seen burn up the stage in a dark and serious turn in Fahrenheit 451 makes for a most absurd three-foot elf dancing in the Nutcracker.
You really have to see the table-top ballet finale to believe it.
Book by Austin Tichenor and Reed Martin
The premise is simple: Bad Weather causes participants of a Christmas Pageant Show various delays. Therefore, three multi-talented members of the cast take on the challenge of performing the entire show themselves. We already have a great fish-out-of-water situation which is comedic to start with. But as these actors improvise, succeed, fail, and falter, the comedy ratchets up and we're so happy it's happening to them instead of us. That's the central premise of comedy. Add to the fact that the performance is in a non-denominational church ("We'll believe anything ...") and so any and all are welcome regardless of race, color, creed, socioeconomic status, sex, gender, and religion ... for mass skewering. Did I mention this show is in part, a musical? The title of the best song is the only joke I'll reveal: Happy Merry Chrismakwanukkahanzukkah.
Sharply directed by Stephanie Lynge, the play is filled with physical action. The actors make full use of the Hippodrome's thrust stage and voms. Robert P. Robbins' lighting is a dazzling wonder. Seamless sound design by Amanda Yeats adds a great sense of place and makes a fourth character out of the weather. And costumes by Erin Jester, so many costumes! How the actors get in and out of these garments is like watching a magic show. Equally detailed and entertaining are all the props the actors make use of, including a table of foley-artist sound-effect instruments (properties by Elaine Shoaf). Amber Wilkerson (Stage Manager), Loren Meza, and the unheralded behind-the-scenes crew work invisibly dressing, moving, organizing -- we often fail to realize the actors don't do this alone. It truly takes a village. With all the moving parts, the Hipp is expert at making the complicated and impossible seem effortless. Scenic Designer / Technical Director Warren Goodwin delivers a flexible dreamlike setting rich in details for both this play, and the legendary traditionally performed Christmas Carol. As if one set weren't difficult enough, we have two interconnected but entirely individual worlds in which to delight. As for Christmas Carol - this year's production is better, tighter, faster, more musical, and to a turn, far scarier! Make sure to catch both plays.
Back to our story: In terms of style, the comedy is Three Stooges, Monty Python, Saturday Night Live, with a little What's My Line thrown in for good measure. A nod to vaudeville and radio plays included. As much as this reviewer hates audience participation, these moments were the gems of the show. In particular, a loopy sing-along to The Twelve Days of Christmas went hysterically and memorably off the rails.
The players introduce themselves using their real names and thus; being actors we've seen in other roles at the Hippodrome, embue an immediate familiarity and rapport. A number of Gainesville insider jokes abound. Each actor brings his special brand of skills to the table. Kevin Rainsberger strikes one as an authority figure, perhaps a regional Publix manager. It's delightful to watch him frazzle and freak with each obstacle to the success of the show. Jonathan Bangs, who starred as Chad Deity (The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Diety), brings palpable charisma and charm. A quick wit and sharp on the fly, it's a pleasure to watch him roll with the spontaneous interactive elements of his fellow players and audience. He may also have the HIPP record for quickchange into a pregnant woman. David Patrick Ford, whom we've seen burn up the stage in a dark and serious turn in Fahrenheit 451 makes for a most absurd three-foot elf dancing in the Nutcracker.
You really have to see the table-top ballet finale to believe it.
 David Patrick Ford [Photo: Michael A. Eaddy] | Costumes, skits, wigs, lights, politics, improv, guitar playing, irreverent and mildly offensive humor for all, the Bee Gees ... If you love Christmas, you'll delight in this show. If you can't stand any more Christmas ever, you'll be overjoyed. There's even a gift exchange. At the end of the day, the message of embracing our commonality while respecting our differences is delivered. The value of comedy to bring us together in our shared humanity is noted. Will it not be funny to everyone? Will anyone be offended? Hopefully. |
TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION HERE:
https://thehipp.org/the-ultimate-christmas-show-abridged/
https://thehipp.org/the-ultimate-christmas-show-abridged/
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