‘A Very Naughty Christmas’ // Woodward Productions
‘A Very Naughty Christmas’ was spicy.
After 7 years of delivering sexiness, Alex Woodward and Daniel Venz’s love child, ‘A Very Naughty Christmas,’ is back! Bigger and bolder than ever seen before. Get ready to be placed on Santa’s ‘naughty’ list in this hilarious comedy concert, that we cannot stress enough, is for ADULTS ONLY! Read on at your own risk….
Comprising multiple skits, songs, and dances, this production is not made for the conservative type! Opening this concert was a parodied version of Hi-5’s “Santa Claus is Coming.” Now, if we switch into our teenage selves, I’m sure you can see where that song went. With this hilarious song opening the night, the audience was ready for some frivolity and fun!
In case you hadn’t worked out what this show is about yet, the following 80 minutes were packed with a striptease to ‘Winter Wonderland,’ a very explicit ‘I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,’ a villainous and dark ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town,’ ‘I Touch My Elf,’ and of course, no Christmas show is complete without the classic Mean Girls dance number!
Paired with these hilarious songs are some fantastic skits written by Daniel Venz, Alister Smith, Emily Kristopher, Stephen Hirst, and Matt Semple. A play on the famous Love Actually signage scene by Santa got the audience riled up (and dare we say very Brechtian using placards!), and Santa at the therapist’s office really brought it home. The writing of these scenes was fantastic and really played into the parody nature of the production, giving the audience a fantastic mix of music and drama.
Disregarding the silliness and hilarity, from a technical aspect, this production ticks all the right boxes. Jake Bristow as Music Director had their work cut out for them. Not only did the cast have to sing parody songs, but they were doing them in full harmony with a live backing band, which is no easy feat! The band, fixed with Bristow on Piano, Tom Collins on Guitar & Bass, and Chris Evans on Drums, was on fire throughout the entire evening. Not missing a beat and making an absolutely rocking sound. Bristow has clearly whipped these musical numbers into shape, making for a fantastic musical sound.
Choreography by Daniel Venz was fantastic. Venz is a talented creative proving their skill through this production. Venz has developed some fantastic dance numbers, from full-scale hip-hop to tap, to a sexy burlesque striptease to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer. Everyone will find something to love in this production, whether it’s the stunning vocals, hilarious skits, or fabulous dancing; there’s something for everyone.
The cast of this production is impeccable. Their heightened confidence and talent are imperative to the success of this show. An ensemble featuring Alix Gibson-Giorgio, Aurélie Roque, Caity Plummer, Emily Kristopher, Oliver Clisdell, Patrick Whitbread, and Taylah Ferguson was nothing short of perfection. They are the true stars of this production, and it is clear they love what they do.
The standout of the production, of course, was Stephen Hirst as (Daddy) Santa. Hirst is an extremely talented performer, and their ability to take this beloved fable and turn it into an Adults Only character is fantastic. We all felt something for this Santa, whether it’s fear or lust; we’ll leave that up to you to decide!
When it comes to holiday productions, ‘A Very Naughty Christmas’ is one to add to the list! It is the place to roast your chestnuts or jingle your bells in a theatre production that is like no other. With its sultry vibe, hilarious scenes, and some fantastic nudity, you will never ever look at Christmas the same way again!
‘‘A Very Naughty Christmas’ plays until December at La Boite. For more information visit their website.
