by Hugh Hunter
Artistic Director Tony Braithwaite is hosting a new holiday special, "Most Wonderful Time," at Act II Playhouse. The 70-minute show with no intermission is a cabaret comedy performed at breakneck speed, purposefully free of rhyme or reason.
Over the last two years, Braithwaite, with assistance from pianist and straight man Dan Matarazzo, starred in solo performances of "Christmas in the Catskills." These shows were a holiday, alternative universe salute to scores of stand-up Jewish comedians who cut their teeth in the storied resort.
This year, Braithwaite shifts gears. He includes a pair of Act II regulars in the spotlight: glamorous Renee McFillin, dressed in a low-cut dark crimson gown and tuxedoed Kevin Toniazzo-Naughton. Along with Assistant Director Nick Cardillo, they join forces to rib modern Christmas celebrations.
McFillin starts the evening off with a song from the Christmas musical "Elf," as heroine Jovie laments, "Never Fall in Love with an Elf." Later, a green-tied Naughton chimes in with another modern Christmas staple as he impersonates the Grinch.
As though irked by modernity, Braithwaite hops on and off the stage like a holiday leprechaun to recite Xmas oldies. He tells the entire story of "It's a Wonderful Life" in 60 seconds, "Rudolph" in 30 seconds, and the Jean Shepard masterpiece, "A Christmas Story," in just 10 seconds.
Along the way, pianist Dan Matarazzo performs Thomas Lehrer, a post-Borscht Belt satirist and a driving force behind the American version of the 60's TV show, "That Was the Week That Was." Here, in "A Christmas Carol," the song lampoons "Hark, the Herald Tribune sings / advertising wonderous things ... Angels we have heard on high / tell us go out and buy."
An effective introduction to the middle show, all four players pick up on Lehrer to create a Bethlehem manger scene where a confusion of values is on display. Not to be outdone, Matarazzo laments that he lacks the flour to make latkes, and Braithwaite reprises a few of his Catskills impersonations.
Then, to honor the 100th birthday of Johnny Carson, Braithwaite becomes Carnac the Magnificent, the turbaned mentalist who answers questions contained in sealed envelopes. Among others, he answers the all-time Carnac favorite, "Sis Boom Bah" to the revealed question, "What does a sheep say when it explodes."
This is not Christmas material, but the show seems to say, "Who cares?" It continues to roll downhill with risque carols, including Clarence Carter's "Backdoor Santa" and a group rendition of John Denver's "Please don't get drunk on Christmas, I don't want to see my mama cry."
Like people crashing out at a party, the fanfare ends with Santa's letters, where Braithwaite uses his gift for mimicry to impersonate the foolishness of a host of notables, especially presidents. McFillin turns into an Eagles tailgater from Delco, who vents pet peeves in a Christmas letter, (though it is hard to believe this character hates Facebook). And just to prove "Most Wonderful Time" respects the holiday, Naughton uses his rich baritone to wrap up the show in a bow ribbon with "Christmas Song," ("Chestnuts roasting..." and all that).
As in all cabaret fare, there are hits and misses. The rear stage wall by scenic designer Parris Bradley may sum up the guiding theme of the production: a mishmash of holiday symbols, like the Christmas stockings hung by the fireplace and a menorah on the mantelpiece. "Most Wonderful Time" is like a grab bag of quirky treats that you might find if you whacked open a satirical piñata.
Warning: Director Braithwaite enjoys give and take with the audience. One woman sneezed, then became part of the show. A banker from Norriton -- so we learned -- was plucked from the audience and found his life celebrated by a "Hamilton" inspired rap number. So be advised, if you attend you might wind up on stage.
Act II Playhouse is located at 56 E. Butler Ave in Ambler. "Most Wonderful Time" will run through Jan 4. Tickets are available at 215-654-0200. (On opening night, Artistic Director Tony Braithwaite announced that Act II can also host & MC private events or corporate training. Contact: Act2.org/Private-Events/)
