Miami Herald - Tuesday, November 26, 2002


Naughty play may leave you as red as Rudolph's nose

Christine Dolen
Miami Herald
Published: Tuesday, November 26, 2002

Here's one that is definitely not your mother's Christmas play.

The Jolly Old Elf has been up to no good with the reindoe appropriately named Vixen (Ivonne Azurdia). When Santa lets out with a ''ho, ho, ho,'' he's not laughing, just doing fashion commentary: Vixen sports a spiked collar, cleavage-emphasizing shirt, leather coat and miniskirt, fishnet stockings and ankle-strap stilettos.

What's a rotund Bad Boy to do?

If you long ago stopped writing to Santa but have an R-rated sense of whimsy, Hollywood's Imagine Stage Company has the Christmas play for you.

Jeff Goode's The Eight: Reindeer Monologues is the polar opposite of holiday evergreens like A Christmas Carol or The Nutcracker. These short, related monologues detail some very nasty doings.

Clearly, The Eight is not one to share with the kiddies. But for adults who don't mind strong sexual references and stronger language, the show is pretty hilarious -- never more so than when Carbonell-winning actor Paul Tei is in the spotlight.

In his first monologue, he's Prancer, a k a Hollywood. Sporting shades and a major attitude, he spews out vindictive jealousy, calling the beloved Rudolph movie that gets run and re-run on television every year ``. . .a Claymation piece of crap.''

In the second, he's Cupid, a character who happily admits to being the ''only openly gay reindeer'' -- though not the only one, he's careful to point out. Wearing leather pants, donning a pink cardigan and speaking with a lisp that screams caricature, Tei is ferociously, obscenely funny.

Capable director Elena María García doesn't match that level in the other monologues, but Tei's two are the best written, and he's a masterful actor who knows how to make the most of every roiling bit of subtext.

Joe Kimble is down-in-the-dumps Dasher, a longtime team leader who's now reduced to swilling Bud and contemplating the good ol' days. He's also effective as dorky Donner, papa to the catatonic Rudolph.

Azurdia vamps to the max as Vixen, but precedes it with a sweet little comic turn as Dancer, the Jewish reindeer (who knew?). Wendolynn Mateo makes Blitzen a sign-carrying rabble-rouser. And Jerry Seeger is a born-again, Comet, a once-bad buck who judges the others and serves as Santa's apologist.

Offensive? You betcha. But sometimes naughty trumps nice.