Eastern Front brings Santas workshop to life

REVIEW
By Kate Watson - The Weekly News
You think that you've got a lot to do at this time of year? Well, imagine life at the North Pole right about now.
What if, on top of all those gifts that have to be made, wrapped and delivered, there was a glue shortage, a mangled sled, a snarly teen stow-away, a choir in serious need of some fine tuning, and a housekeeper with a bad case of unrequited love?
That's the premise of Canadian playwright Norm Foster's Dear Santa, currently playing at Dartmouth's Eastern Front Theatre, and it makes for one fine and funny holiday show.
Eastern Front has outdone itself with the set - a magical creation, with towering, fragrant Christmas trees and a toy-stuffed workshop, as well as sliding walls that reveal the nerve-centre of the North Pole, Santa's office.
Brian Heighton as Santa's second in command, Algernon, is perfect in the role of the uptight manager, giving a John Cleese-like quality to his performance.
Stacy Smith is charming as Octavia, the Carol Burnett-esque housekeeper with a crush on the crusty Algernon, and though their eventual romance is a forgone conclusion, it's still a satisfying end to the play.
Two performances deserve particular mention. Wally MacKinnon is hilarious as the persistent sled salesman, delivering his rapid-fire dialogue with skill, charm and ease. Sheldon Davis generates the most laughter as Bozidar, a helper with a Polish accent who mangles and twists the English language in highly amusing ways.
The part of the rebellious teen with a heart of gold is played by Stephanie Hood, who is a great young performer with a lovely singing voice. Several other talented young people join the cast as elves (led by the lively Colin Furlong) and choir members.
The play delivers the standard holiday message about the true meaning of Christmas, but it's done with such great humour that it is never heavy-handed. The audience was filled with people from the very young to the very old, and it looked like everyone left with a smile on their face.
k-watson@ns.sympatico.ca
Dear Santa is at Eastern Front Theatre until Dec. 28. For information, call 1-888-311-9090.