Theater Review—

‘Night Before Christmas’ Is Good, But It’s Not For Children

By Julie Stern

NEW MILFORD — If you can imagine Jimmy Stewart’s Wonderful Life story redone and combined with Ewan McGregor in the Scottish drugs and grunge movie Trainspotting, you might have a sense of the flavor of Anthony Nielson’s black comedy, The Night Before Christmas. Nielson’s work is now onstage at TheatreWorks New Milford, and it is definitely not appropriate for children.

Set somewhere in the English midlands, the play deals with the efforts of three of society’s marginal characters to deal with the phenomenon of discovering a displaced elf floundering in the warehouse.

Thomas Libonate is marvelous as the rotund and seriously discombobulated elf who inadvertently tumbled from Santa’s sleigh as it happened to be passing over the building. All he wants is a chance to get back to where he belongs and get his night’s work done.

Unfortunately for him, Gary, the host of the party, who uses the warehouse to store his assortment of goods that “fell off the back of a truck,” assumes the elf is a burglar, coming in to steal his shipment of Power Rangers.

In the dim light of the stage he wrestles the intruder to the ground and ties him up. Then he rings up his best mate, Simon, a foul-mouthed rebel type, to come and advise him about what to do. They are joined by Cherry, the local prostitute, who is hoping to trade her favors to Gary in exchange for a set of Power Rangers for her son.

Together the trio badgers the elf with cynical logic, as they argue over what his real function is. Meanwhile they fail to notice that the elf is getting progressively uncomfortable and sick.

Beyond this, I will not reveal the plot, but if you have a wide ranging imagination you can guess how the Christmas spirit will have at least a small moment of vindication.

As part of its humor, the play is staged with consummate realism, beginning with a beautifully crafted set designed by Keir Hanson (who also plays Simon, a chap who never met a situation where The F-Word didn’t fit). Mark Norman is flawless as Gary, and Amy Clyde equally so as the caustic tart, who really wants those Power Rangers.

This is a show that satirizes the commercialization of Christmas, with no holds barred. Yet it also manages to suggest that an undercurrent of real feeling is still possible.

Thus the audience can leave with their hearts at least partially warmed, while they are still relishing the good humored alienation that leaves the friends to plan their holiday celebration with booze and white powder.

(Performances continue weekends until December 19. There is also a New Year’s Eve gala celebration/performance planned.

For ticket or curtain details call 860-350-6863.)