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Santa Claus is Comin’ to Motown
Reviewed by Pauline Adamek
The Falcon Theatre
Through January 17
RECOMMENDED
The talented Troubadour Theatre Company once again presents their annual holiday-themed show featuring their signature brand of madcap nonsense. Their tried-and-tested formula: Take a Christmas story, add some pop songs and send it up.
This time it’s a ‘Santa’s origins’ storyline, loosely based on the 1970 Rankin-Bass “animagic” stop-motion TV classic and featuring flying reindeer, elves, Christmas trees and, of course, Santa Claus. The plot line is enlivened with some of Motown’s greatest hits, along with such R&B standards as “Chain of Fools,” “Respect,” “ABC” and “Soul(ess) Man.” All are performed with great gusto by the cast.
If the raucous and appreciative audience reaction on opening night is anything to go by, then their formula truly works. That’s thanks to a fantastic band of rock musicians (led by musical director Eric Heinly) who expertly pump out the familiar tunes. This tight-knit band of four is well complemented by a terrific ensemble of dancers, singers and comedians.
Directed by performer Matt Walker, Santa Claus is Comin’ to Motown was first staged in 2004 and has been refueled with an injection of topical political jokes and current pop culture references, such as “Long, long time ago, when Caitlyn was still Bruce…” Meanwhile, sight gags and gross-out poop jokes abound.
Rick Batalla is hilarious as Special Delivery Kluger, the sassy and lackadaisical postal worker who serves as the narrator of the show. Leah Sprecher furnishes another comic highlight as Trixie, a backup singer garbed in a sparkly mini dress and matching Kelly-green wig, perennially chugging from an increasingly larger cocktail comprised of “gin, tylenol and tears.”
Beth Kennedy reprises her perennial crowd favorite: the goofy Winter Warlock who towers on stilts. She also depicts an awkward and scabby character named Shingle Cringle who, predictably, is shunned by the others. Lisa Valenzuela is superb as ever, channeling Aretha Franklin with her usual aplomb.
Restaged by Suzanne Jolie Narbonne, Nadine Ellis’s choreography is especially effective given the small apron of space for the performers.
An evening with these beloved clowns, fondly known as ‘the Troubies,’ usually guarantees a fun time, and in this silly show the comedically gifted cast really gives their all. Santa Claus is Comin’ to Motown is an upbeat, high-energy evening that runs around 90 minutes and certainly doesn’t need the intermission to slow it down.
Falcon Theatre, 4252 W Riverside Dr., Toluca Lake; Wed.- Fri., 8 p.m.; Sat 4 p.m. & 8 p.m.; Sun., 4 p.m. & 7 p.m. Dark Dec. 23, 24, 25, & 31 & January 1. No 4 p.m. shows on Jan. 9 & Jan. 16. No 7 p.m. show on Jan. 17. Added show on Dec, 29 at 8 p.m.; through Jan. 17. (818) 955-8101 or https://www.falcontheatre.com; Running time: One hour and 30 minutes with one intermission.
