The party prelude hooks you. There's a Door Girl (Danielle Kaufman), a vampy pre-Henry Higgins Eliza Doolittle. A long, dark passageway - wait, is this Halloween? Rooms (so many possibilities but, alas, locked) off to the side. You emerge from this dim lit vaguely Christmassy birth canal and - gasp! - light. Crowd noise, music, a bar -- red and green potent potables for one, please. A vampire, burlesque girls, a ghost, a clown and other dignitaries of darkness and noir hold court. A Host (Beth Pennington) calls the assembly to order and, like steel filings that hurl themselves at a redheaded magnet, it begins.
"Post Mortem Presents: A Very Victorian Christmas" is a staggering (in more ways than one) achievement. It gifts you the perfect antidote for the Whitman Sampler of bah, humbug Noel platitudes.
Conceived, directed and choreographed by Andrea Luna and Angela Lopez, it's a riot of song, a rhapsody of dance and movement. In short, it's a scream. It recovers and re-enacts the delightfully sinister Victorian winter solstice tradition. The shortest day of the year, an abundance of darkness, and that membrane that separates the undead and us dissolves.
What better occasion, then, for a couple of horror stories. 'Tis the season, after all.
Both stories concern ghosts. Each occasion dance numbers that build drama, enhance rhythm. One is frightful and ends happy ever, ever, after. The other is funny and ends tragic. Both run the gamut of the difference between one's joyous expectations of the holidays and their grim reality. They are spooky, articulated nicely in that patent pending Post Mortem style of rave war paint, skulking movement, woeful facial expressions and gestures that, were one inclined towards physics, could be described as Heisenberg uncertain.
One concerns the woeful tale of Grimwald (Kyle Johnston) the sad clown. The other concerns a scaredy cat Santa Claus (Jeffrey Kieviet). Both are enchanting to watch, better yet, to share, as the stage is a few feet from the audience. The drama is as psychological as it is physical though it's the physical bits, of course, we notice first. The humor, on the other hand, is Keystone Cops physical.
No spoiler alert is necessary because this production was a one timer. Grimwald, a compelling combination of Heath Ledger's Joker and Charlie Chaplin's Little Tramp, becomes a successful entertainer. He becomes so successful that he hires a Jester (Alexis Udo-Udoma). The Jester - boo! Hiss! - steals the act. Talk about tit for tat sectarian violence. Grimwald kills the Jester, the Jester, undead but lethal, kills Grimwald's Lover (Andrea Luna). Because it's Christmas, though, Grimwald's undead lover returns and they live happy ever (ever as in vampire ever).
And then there's Santa. Probably because he reads The Daily Mail, his annual rounds scare the bejeezus out of him. Each time he stumbles, literally and figuratively, into each house, he expects something to befall him. Not even remotely jolly, he traipses in, defenses up, and then, no threat. The anthropomorphic Christmas Tree takes it all in gleeful stride. Santa relaxes, suspects nothing's going to happen. Then he becomes the victim of a Murphy's Law. Santa, R.I.P.
Speaking of Eliza Doolittle, you do get accustomed to the face of Post Mortem. They're energetic and innovative. In every sense of the word, they're original. A vampire (Ashley Allen), burlesque girls (Sayaka Miyatani and Jessica Rae), and a ghost (Luna). Song (Ellen Warkentine and Andrew Pedroza), movement, and dance. Stories that tangentially evoke Christmas and massively describe the human condition. "A Very Victorian Christmas" offers one big festive wassail. A grog or two in, you might even say it's good for wassails you.
For more information on this one-on production and information on the company, visit them here.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.