A Very Naughty Christmas

Alex Theatre, St. Kilda

With Christmas just around the corner, and carols in full swing the Alex Theatre plays host to the popular A Very Naughty Christmas, a Christmas show like no other.

Presented by Woodward Productions, from the time the curtains raise to the final bow, the show is non- stop laughs. In what is a cross between cabaret and burlesque the show calls for audience participation, especially from the front row.  It will both shock you and make you howl with laughter as the ensemble cast re-work old Christmas classics and turn them into clever and hilarious new numbers.

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With Tim Paige at the helm as a very naughty Santa, he leads the cast in a raunchy show that puts the talents of the cast on display. Joining Tim is Joe Kalou, Jordan Twigg, Joshua Spiniello, Kate Yaxley, Madeline Pratt, Rebecca Rolle and Shay Debney to round out a multi-faceted talented cast.

From tap dancing to stripping the cast show an incredible array of versatile talent, the show choreographed perfectly to suit. Whether it’s a burlesque fan dance or a naughty strip tease the cast has been chosen to highlight their talents effectively, and this shows in the seamless performance. A particularly memorable moment is hearing the famous Divinyl’s  I Touch Myself reworked into a very hilarious transformation entitled I Touch My Elf  sung beautifully by Rebecca Rolle. Another special mention goes out to dancer Joshua Spiniello, who is a joy to watch and an exceptionally talented dancer- it’s clear he is classically trained with his perfect extensions and clean lines. The entire cast are fantastic to watch, each unique in their skills, and it’s really challenging to pick out a favourite performer.

The refreshing thing is that the show and the cast never take themselves too seriously. This leaves room for riffing with the audience and ad-libbing that works so well. The cast make the audience feel like an extension of the show, bouncing off the energy in the room and upping the ante each musical number.   Even when the show calls for audience participation during an exceedingly funny yet politically incorrect birth of Jesus story, the cast are polished to perfection.

By the time the last song is played the cast have the audience on their feet singing and dancing along to Mariah Carey’s All I Want For Christmas is You, the show has had the crowd thoroughly enjoying themselves, screaming in hysterics and just a little shocked at how far the show is willing to push the boundaries. It’s a well thought out, exceptionally written and clever show that leaves the audience laughing all the way home.

Words by Amanda Lee Starkey