A Very Naughty Christmas

Artistically speaking, Christmas is noted for its saccharin-laden artistic output. And why not? What’s wrong with indulging in the nicer, kinder, friendlier side of life? Well, when it seems to dominate, you can feel a little brow beaten by such family friendly niceness all the time. If you fear it’s all a bit too much, then fear not, a 10-strong troupe from Australia may have the answer you’ve been looking for, as they bring their annual festive cabaret to London for the first time.

Welcome to Santa (Stephen Hirst) and his helpers in an altogether more risqué presentation than you will probably be familiar with. Santa is, as expected, decked out in his red fur-lined hat and coat, albeit open and showcasing his bare torso. As for his traditional red trousers, they’re quickly discarded in favour of some bright red briefs. If that wasn’t enough to let you know that this isn’t your traditional Christmas fare, then his expletive-laden opening salvo leaves you in no doubt whatsoever.

Soon joined by his troupe of festively- themed, scantily-clad helpers, the show offers up a selection of skits and songs designed to amuse, titillate, and shock. And this it does with varying degrees of success.

The heavily F-bomb, C-bomb and any other expletive you can mention, narrative feels very effected and, at times, puerile. The overtly sexual dialogue again, all feels a bit forced and juvenile. That said, it has the desired impact of shocking people out of their Christmas reverie and is, at times quite funny.

Where the show shines is in its musical numbers. There’s a combination of original songs and naughtily reworked classics all delivered impeccably by the ensemble. Individually and collectively, they produce terrific vocal performances that are note-perfect, powerful, and unexpectedly harmonious. The simple supporting band, consisting of a drummer (Lisa Martin) and keyboards (Jo King) delivers a full sound that feels more like a 4- or 5-piece band.

Whilst there’s a lot to enjoy in this show, it has two major flaws. The first is the venue and the second is the lack of interval. This is a classic cabaret show and a cabaret setting, rather than a traditional theatre setting would create a more intimate and engaged atmosphere. Secondly this show works best with a few drinks inside you, so an interval to give time for a top-up or two, would be a significant advantage. This is not to say that the show doesn’t work stone cold sober, but you’re probably not getting the most out of it.

For some funny sauciness over the festive period, A Very Naughty Christmas hits a lot of spots, but it’s just a little too playground in its humour for it to hit the greatness it could be.

Sonny Waheed