Commercial Appeal - November 26, 2004
By Jon W. Sparks
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November 26, 2004
Perhaps you feel like bullying children, snarling at house pets and having nothing to do with Christmas.
Well then, this acid hijacking of Santa's beloved reindeer at Circuit Playhouse should touch your spirit in a very special way.
Jeff Goode's subversive show puts each of "The Eight" -- the octet made famous by Clement Moore's poem "A Visit From Saint Nicholas" -- into a warped contemporary context of rape, child abuse, betrayal, hubris and interdepartmental sniping among disgruntled employees.
Each of the eight comes out separately to play to the audience in an entertainment TV confessional format. Goode teases the viewer but soon enough reveals how the working beasts got polarized at the North Pole.
What starts out as half-hearted standup comedy soon enough sags into melodrama essayed by stock miniature stereotypes: the flaming queen, the militant feminist, the movie star, da tough guy. Now Ditzy! Now Victim! Now Punker and Martyr!
The caricatures might have worked had the monologs not veered carelessly into polemic without much insight. We've heard all this before, just not from characters with antlers. But it's not enough to save the script.
And yet there is much to recommend "The Eight," namely the cast that gives it a splendid effort. They are among the best actors on the local stage and are a pleasure to watch, even with gloppy material.
Vets Jonathon Lamer, Courtney Oliver and Brian Mott turn in solid performances. Megan Bowers, Ron Ernst and the sublime Joanna Lipman -- new to the area but bringing plenty of experience -- shone during their turns.
Strong work by Evan Linder and Matthew Hoffberg round out the action.
Now let's give 'em something that goes beyond the obvious.
-- Jon W. Sparks: 529-2533