Goodman Theatre presents THE SANTALAND DIARIES Review

With A CHRISTMAS CAROL on Goodman Theatre’s mainstage, it makes perfect sense that THE SANTALAND DIARIES, the one-man – or, as its author David Sedaris might say, one-elf show – is just down the hall in Goodman’s studio space.

At least Scrooge gets to go from adventure to adventure in his nightshirt. And Charles Dickens wrote the story from his imagination. Sedaris, on the other hand, had to wear a costume that no self-respecting 8-year-old would tolerate. And his story draws on real-life memories of working at Macy’s Santaland circa 1990. As Scrooge journeys from humbug to redemption, Crumpet the Elf barely survives from one cigarette break to the next.

Alternative holiday staple at GOODMAN THEATRE

Adapted for the stage from Sedaris’ account of his season of shame by Joe Mantello, The Santaland Diaries has become an alternative holiday staple. Actor Steven Strafford takes up the tasseled mantle of Crumpet and leads us into Macy’s Christmas world. Kevin Depinet’s set of oversized Santaland décor is long on coloring book simplicity and short on anything resembling the human experience. As for costume designer Rachel Lampert’s attire for Strafford, well…just look at the photos. Jesus is definitely not the reason for Crumpet’s season.

THE SANTALAND DIARIES adds a dash of sour

Sedaris did get the job. Stafford, under the direction of Steve Scott, delivers 65 minutes of its hilarity. During elf training – yes, there was formal elf training – “We were taken to the Oh My God Corner…People arriving see the long line and say ‘Oh my God!’ and it’s an elf’s job to calm them down and explain that it’ll take no longer than an hour to see Santa.” Other trials included dealing with vomit, tantrums, toddlers peeing into fake snow, parents aggressively art-directing their children on Santa’s lap and customers threatening to have Crumpet fired for lapses in spirit.

Strafford’s performance seemed a little hyped on opening night, and this viewer yearned for more down time to absorb the absurdity. But the material, just like the set and costumes, certainly lends itself to over-the-top treatment.

Audience members who have a chance to see both Scrooge and Crumpet at Goodman this month can decide for themselves which hero suffers more. It may well be a toss-up. Meanwhile, in this reviewer’s opinion, THE SANTALAND DIARIES is a worthy counterbalance to any and all other Yuletide shows, adding a delicious dash of sour to the seasonal sugar.