Frostbites, a cabaret-style homage to the Christmas holidays, is better than tonic water with orange juice. Maybe even better than eggnog.
The performance by Alchemy Theatre is preceded by numerous video clips including Judy Garland, Julie Andrews and a scene of a deep snowfall in a forest.
The six women in the cabaret sometimes perform together, sometimes solo. Each vignette is done in comedic (sometimes whimsical) manner. The opener, Stuck in the Casino Again, is about a woman who spends Christmas day each year taking a friend to a casino. Not very festive! This is followed by a story about how one navigates a world in which your parents are divorced. It is paired with a country tune, Hard Candy Christmas.
Audience members (be forewarned) might get drawn into a karaoke song and dance session. If you like ABBA, raise your hand. My favorite was a skit with one of the performers wearing a snowgirl outfit. If you have never seen a snow figure do a striptease, this is your chance!
The skit that got the most horse laughs was one featuring images of conjoined twins, and how one was missing the other. It was performed to the song Merry Christmas Darling. Very inventive and a real riot.
The whole show only lasts an hour, leaving one wishing for more. A friend who accompanied me was delighted by it. “I loved it; it made me feel good!” Treat yourself to this one.
Photo: Cara Bernstein, Taylor Bini, Tori Brooke, Cherie Devine, Bianca Ibarra, & Courtlin Parisher.
Conceived and directed by Richard Cerato, Frost Bites runs thru Dec. 17/22
visit the website: thealchemytheatre.org
