"The Santaland Diaries": Lyrical on 34th Street

By Jack Craib, New Rep Reviewer

Is New Rep’s production of David Sedaris’ “The Santaland Diaries” a lump of coal in the otherwise overflowing seasonal bag of treacle? Those familiar with Sedaris from his sardonic NPR commentating and autobiographical bestsellers might well expect it. His real-life stint as Crumpet the Elf in Macy’s Santaland promised to provide the perfect antihero for the 21st century. Thus it was with a mixture of wicked anticipation and trepidation that this reviewer approached his first encounter with this popular one-person show. Would it be a trick or a treat? (Oops, wrong holiday).

It is with a profound sigh of relief, then, that one can report that, though the true-life tale smells less like Yuletide than formaldehyde, this is no stake of holly through the heart. Sedaris manages most often to strike a balance between the iconic and the ironic. While this is no sacred Santa story, there is an undercurrent that, beneath all the cynical trappings of the secular side of the holiday, there still exists a spirit that persists despite the profiteering onslaught of marketing and merchandising. In the course of just over an hour, the author (as originally adapted off-Broadway by Joe Mantello) navigates the often hilarious minefields that are the intense expectations of parents and urchins alike, and the back story of all the glitter. As with most comedies, the degree to which one responds with laughter will mirror her or his tolerance level for Sadaris’ unique form of humor; comedy is above all else a subjective thing.

As always, the success of a one-person play obviously depends on the performance of that sole actor. Happily, Gary Littman fits this Crumpet to a T. He has the daunting task of making the elfin character consistently and appealingly human while gradually and relentlessly revealing his darker side. Remarkably, thanks undoubtedly to the seamless direction by Christopher Webb, he succeeds beyond all reasonable expectations. Littman’s bag of theatrical tricks includes a seemingly bottomless arsenal of gestures, expressions, and movements. His performance is astonishing; even his first curtain call (which will not be revealed here) was perfectly in character.

Mention should be made of the creativity of the technical aspects as well. The huge image of Santa overseeing all the goings-on, the lighting (photos with Santa), sound effects (store announcements) and the simple but effective set all added to the merriment.

In short (and this review may seem longer than the show itself), the play will strike many as the ideal anecdotal antidote to the stressors of the season. If you’ve enjoyed Sedaris’ writings elsewhere, hitch up the family sleigh and you’ll go laughing all the way.