By CARRIE NEAL
A Seat on the Aisle
We all have our favorite, most-cherished Christmas movie. For many of us musical theater buffs, it’s White Christmas or Meet Me in St. Louis. It’s a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street are classics that have stood the test of time, and A Christmas Story and Elf are feel-good films that have made their way into our hearts in more recent years.
But for my husband, National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is the eternal favorite, and so while he rarely accompanies me when I’m reviewing, last night we eagerly made our way to Defiance Comedy’s show.
Of course, this parody isn’t a frame-by-frame replica of the original movie, but most of those key moments you remember and may be looking for are present. The moose cup, Christmas is canceled, we’re putting in a pool, the crazy Julia Louis-Dreyfus neighbor character … they’re all there (not to mention Cousin Eddie’s most famous line, which can’t be printed here, but it rhymes with “litter’s full”). And while noticing these Easter eggs may enhance your enjoyment of the show, that insider knowledge isn’t necessary, as the humor of the piece is more than sufficient on its own.
But since the storyline does vary from the source material, a summary: Riley, prodigal daughter, is home for the holidays in Indy from the big city of Chicago. (Chi-town is the Metropolis to Indy’s Smallville, a fact which is mined many many times for comedic effect, and yes, we laughed every time.) Parents Tom and Helen are excited to welcome her home; her two younger sisters, not so much. Meanwhile, Riley’s in a love triangle with her doctor boyfriend from Chicago and her first love from back home, all while trying to close a nefarious business deal. And one more thing, Dad runs a local theater company that’s in danger of going under.
(From left) Audrey Stonerock (Enid), Alex Agee (Vivian), and Anna Himes (Enoch). (Photo by Rob Slaven / IndyGhostLight.com)
As our heroine Riley, Hannah Embree doesn’t get to bring the funny as often as others in the show, but her realistic, grounded character work is just the anchor this silly story needs. Aaron Stillerman plays first love Logan to angsty effect, and is also hilarious as a sex-starved snowman. Luke Agee is delightfully droll as both boyfriend Derek and perpetually lost Grandpa Harry.
Each company member gets their own comedic moment to shine, but there were a few distinct standouts. First, Audrey Stonerock and Anna Himes as Enid and Enoch, the inscrutable adopted twins. Their catatonic stares had us giggling long before they ever opened their mouths. And Kelsey VanVoorst, always a fan favorite, surpasses herself with this outing with both of her characters, Travis and Dale. The “bleach scream” alone is worth the price of admission. But the most effervescent performance of the evening belongs to Shelby Myers as Marcia and Aunt Cathy. Every time Aunt Cathy tries to get up from her chair, comedy gold ensues, to name just one example.
In a significant divergence from the source material, Defiance Comedy’s show is a musical, with original music written by director Matt Kramer and playful choreography by Emily Bohannon. Kramer has given us a fully-realized piece packed with creativity, but his songs aren’t universally successful. As a longtime Defiance fan, I’d say the simpler songs land better: “The Intermission Songs” and “Holly Jolly Love,” to name a few. But the songs with a lot of exposition are harder to take in and comprehend, particularly since the production opted not to use body mics.
But if you’re looking for something different and a release for all that holiday tension you’ve been carrying around, this is the show to see. We laughed and laughed and then laughed some more, as did the rest of the packed house. Defiance Comedy’s Christmas Vacation runs at the IF Theatre through Dec. 20, and tickets are available online at indyfringe.org.
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