Santa, Won’t You Come?

Christmas Dearest – Hell in a Handbag

Just when you think you’ve experienced every possible version of A Christmas Carol, David Cerda, that talented theatrical actor, singer, dancer, playwright, composer and lyricist, comes up with a new riff on the story. In this campy treatment of the Dickens classic, Scrooge is 1930’s movie queen, Joan Crawford. She’s filming a musical biopic of Jesus, in which she plays (what else?) the Virgin Mary. True to form, Joan’s not simply crabby and miserly; she’s working her cast and crew late on Christmas Eve and demands that everyone report to work early the following morning on Christmas Day.

Visited that night by the real Virgin Mary, and played with sass and snark by Sydney Genco, Joan is promised visits by three more spirits. The first to arrive is Olive, a wild, alcoholic flapper from Christmas Past (played with acrobatic dexterity by Tyler Anthony Smith); next is Christmas Present, in the guise of famed MGM film producer, Louis B. Mayer (portrayed with panache and striking authenticity by Danne W. Taylor). But perhaps the funniest visitor is saved for last. Miss Crawford is finally greeted by Christmas Future, a ghost embodied by actress Bette Davis, perfectly made up and costumed as “Baby Jane,” and hilariously played by Chicago comic/musical treasure, Caitlin Jackson. 

Between threats, arguments and histrionics Joan learns the true meaning of Christmas. The Cratchit family is represented by Joan’s personal assistant, Carol Ann, and her same sex partner Vernita. They’re sweetly played by the always wonderful and earnest, Ed Jones and that bigger-than-life diva, Coco Sho-Nell. Tiny Tim is renamed Teeny Teena, and she’s delightfully played by Nicky Mendelsohn. Joan’s zaftig adopted daughter Christina, who’s addicted to food and foul language, is portrayed with ferocious vigor by Mark Barty. In two flashback scenes, Maiko Terazawa plays a precocious Child Joan and Marissa Williams wows us as 1920’s Joan. Both are talented performers, who we’ll be watching for in upcoming productions.

This almost surreal play with music, directed with obvious love by Derek Van Barham, features songs by Mr. Cerda and Scott Lamberty, such as “Santa, Won’t You Come?” and The show’s divine costumes are courtesy of Kate Setzer Kamphausen and Uriel Gomez, with outlandish wigs by Keith Ryan. In three fabulously funny flying scenes, Lolly Extract, puppeteer extraordinaire, operates a cast of diminutive, doll-like versions of Joan and her three visiting ghosts that are treat. 

But the real star of this wildly funny parody, and the reason to see this campy holiday show, is the always amazing David Cerda. His clever holiday script is filled with double entendres, uncensored humor, sassy musical numbers and, of course, Mr. Cerda’s spot-on performance as Joan Crawford. She is the centerpiece of this story and no one can play Mommy Dearest like David Cerda. For LGBTQ+ audiences, and their liberal-minded friends, this irreverent holiday comedy is sure to become another popular Chicago tradition. With its bizarre characters, this clever parody of “A Christmas Carol,” that features dozens of sparkling, colorful costumes and a few old-fashioned, full-company production numbers, Hell in a Handbag Productions has another winner on its hands.

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented November 27-December 31 by Hell in a Handbag Productions at the Ebenezer Lutheran Church, 1650 W. Foster Ave., Chicago.

Tickets are available in person at the door or by going to www.christmasdearest.eventbrite.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com.