Playwright: book by Andy Eninger, music & lyrics by Michael Mahler
At: Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, 1229 W. Belmont Ave.
Phone: 773-883-1090; $25-$37
Runs through: Dec. 31
The appeal of a burlesque show is more than its display of fleshly pulchritude. What distinguishes this popular art form from its cut-rate counterparts is the environment it creates—a world where the room temperature never requires an overabundance of garments, where no task is ever expedient, where moral questions are easily resolved, where the men are uniformly urbane, the women compliant and the champagne never runs out.
Barenaked Lads Save Christmas is Bailiwick Repertory's holiday edition of their popular musical revue featuring—surprise!—a female comic who keeps her clothes ON and a chorus of male odalisques wearing little more than big, happy smiles. Framing the agenda of songs and sketches is a flimsy premise proposing a squad of quasi-superhero Barenaked Lads, whose mission is to rescue victims in need of festive cheer. Like the Santa forced to fly commercial, mandating an airport security check. Or the widower whose memories of his late husband intrudes on his relationship with his new boyfriend. Or the young boy robbed of his innocent idealism by his relentlessly realistic mother.
Author Andy Eninger's humor leans heavily toward the standard-issue political satire, but Michael Mahler's songs—in particular, the wistful This Christmas, sung by estranged spouses facing their first yuletide as singles-—lend a refreshing sweetness to the evening's agenda. Dance choreographer Heidi Malnar contributes a graceful shepherds' adagio set to the classic Do You Hear What I Hear?, while Barenaked Lad Greg Poljacik's fight instruction enlivens a sketch proposing Barbra Streisand and Mel Gibson as co-hosts for a TV special. There are also cartoon-style chases, slo-mo melees and nativity tableaux-vivants.
It's all quite silly, to be sure. Except for the costumes—or lack thereof—most of the acts could have been lifted from the 'variety shows' popular on television during the '50s and '60s. But Gary Edward at the piano keeps the transitions smooth, David Zak's direction keeps the pace brisk and the six athletic performers glow with enough congenial warmth to provide us with a welcome 75 minutes of escapist enjoyment.