Shawn Conner suggests five reasons to check out Holiday at the Elbow Room Cafe:
1.
It’s hyper-local Holiday at the Elbow Room Cafe is inspired by the iconic West End eatery, which was in business for 35 years until it shut down last year due to redevelopment.
2.
The first one was a hit Holiday is a followup to Elbow Room Cafe: The Musical, which sold out performances at the York Theatre in March 2017. “It is still one of the shows that our audiences tell us they loved most,” said a Cultch spokesperson. The new show features two returning cast members, a host of new actors, and many of the songs from the original (including Let a Girl Eat, Small World in a Big City, and In A Different Life I’m Piaf ) as well as updated holiday songs including what we are told is a “hilarious” rendition of The 12 Days of Christmas.
3.
The original owners approve
Patrice (Patrick) Savoie and Bryan Searle, the two owners of the Elbow Room Cafe, were as much an inspiration for the show as the cafe itself. They were/are also friends with the show’s writer, Dave Deveau, and director Cameron Mackenzie, and have been supportive of the show since the beginning and were both in the audience on opening night of Elbow Room Cafe: The Musical. (A memorial seat in the York is dedicated to Searle, who died in 2017.)
4.
It is adults-only Blessedly for a show at this time of year, Holiday is sprinkled with off-colour jokes and lewd humour, in keeping with the spirit of the original Elbow Room Cafe.
5.
A Loving Spoonful
The non-profit, which provides meals for those living with HIV, had a long partnership with the cafe. People are encouraged to drop off a non-perishable item at the venue as part of a food drive.
HOLIDAY AT THE ELBOW ROOM CAFE
When: Dec. 10-29
Where: Cultch, 1895 Venables St.
Tickets: from $26 at tickets.thecultch.com, and