In New York City during the holiday season there are ample opportunities to check out some holiday themed entertainment. Two of them this year from my seat. Both have a heavy dose of ho-ho-ho.
Chloe Saves Christmas
Popping into the Off-Off Broadway arts incubator The Tank is a chance to take a sleigh ride with up and coming creative minds. When the snow is powdery there are usually thrills galore. “If you like John Waters, you’ll love Chloe Saves Christmas” promised the website. I like John Waters so off off to the winter wonderland I go.
A warning was posted. This show would contain “over-the-top Christmas antics, yuletide fuckery, tentacles, snow, questionable morals and bizarre sexual content”. The posting did not lie. The opening minutes features an annoyed Chloe musing about lost opportunities. “I could be tickly my twat and watching Love Actually“. When the plot to save Christmas gets in gear, she exclaims “we’re saving Christmas; I can feel it in my twat”.
The too long show is filled with potty humor and silly clowning. Some of it is very funny. Some of it is very repetitious. You see, Chloe is a young IHOP waitress who is Instagram famous for her fart videos. She is legendary for her gaseous excess. That talent plus an ability to produce other noxious air releases will be put to use in order to save Christmas. She teams up with a guy (straight but accused as gay) and a gal (lesbian but no waffling there) to conquer the Octopus and its inappropriate tentacles.
Chloe Saves Christmas has a promising skit backbone that feels clever amidst the self-admittedly “over-the-top” crude tomfoolery. An enjoyable Shakespearesque monologue garners laughs as do some truly hilarious costume changes as cast members attempt to keep up with the ever swirling onstage antics. This ho show was meant to offend and it did. Even Mary is a target since she is a “sick person and a bad actress”.
Chloe Saves Christmas concluded performances at the Tank on December 17, 2023. The Tank is a non-profit producer presenting over 1,000 performances annually across many disciplines.
Nutcracker Rouge
College friends were holiday weekend gathering in New York for the second year in a row. Saturday night was dinner at the newly reopened Cantina Cubano in the East Village (and yes, delicious as always). Friday nights are reserved for those of us interested in exploring theatrical offerings which lend themselves to group fun. Last year we sailed aboard the megahit Titanique, still running despite the iceberg danger. Nutcracker Rouge was this year’s choice.
In their opulent den of Moulin Rouge inspired debauchery, Company XIV seems to have an annual smash hit with this wildly entertaining musical extravaganza. I’ve been to this Bushwick locale and reviewed a number of their shows previously. This time I was a paying customer and a very happy one at that.
The show is essentially the same as in previous years but certain performers have changed so the specifics differ. What you can expect: excellent sugar plum choreography executed precisely, sexy costumes, Cirque-like athletic feats, cocktails to savor and a loosely conceived plot to hold all the merriment and visual splendor together. Storm Marrero is the big voiced diva who rules this venue (including hilariously managing the drunken Karen who simply could not find her seat after intermission).
This Nutcracker is for those seeking an evening of sparkling Louis the XIV period excess complete with wigs and a dash of sugar plum fairies. My review from 2019 happily still rings true.
Nutcracker Rouge is running through January 28, 2024 along with another show, Cocktail Magique, a “variety show of intoxicating illusions” which has performances scheduled through August 2024.
theaterreviewsfrommyseat/nutcrackerrouge2019