People seem to fall into one of two camps over Christmas – they love it (can’t wait for it to arrive and are sad when it’s over) or they hate it (dread its arrival and are happy when it’s over). The SantaLand Diaries, though, manages to make everyone happy.
The one-elf show, playing at the Garner Galleria Theatre, is based, not very loosely, on the book of the same name by David Sedaris. It was adapted for the stage back in 1996, yet, with the addition of some timely references sprinkled here and there, it totally works to this day.
A Denver native, actor Matt Zambrano returns to the Denver stage, from New York, to take on this role, presented through the Boulder Ensemble Theatre Company. He’s perfect for the role, not only because he’s, well, just right for the role, but because he hearkens enough of the real David Sedaris to make his fans feel like they are getting him too.
The SantaLand Diaries follows David Sedaris’ from coping with the fact that he’s to the point in his life where he’s applying for work as an elf, through a surprisingly stringent job application process that makes him worry what it says about him and his life if he can’t even get work as an elf at Christmastime. But he does get the job, goes through ridiculously cheery elf training and then begins a season of hell at Christmastime in SantaLand at Macy’s.
He tells the tales of the thousands upon thousands of people waiting in line with their children (or not) to sit on Santa’s lap, tell him what they want for Christmas and then have their photo taken. David has a really hard time being super-dooper cheery and overly animated ALL THE TIME.
You’d think The SantaLand Diaries would be all grumpy, holiday-bashing, painting-the-human-race-as-hideous fun. But throughout, there are moments when David sees glimpses of sweetness, vulnerability and absolute wonder. And those moments, together with the comedy and the complaining, paint a realistic view of the holidays. Christmas (and The SantaLand Diaries) is a mixed Santa-bag of the good, the bad and the ugly, all wrapped up with a big bow, just in time to make you feel okay about the holidays.
The SantaLand Diaries runs through December 24.
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