Texas-themed ‘What-A-Christmas!’ could have been a better gift
In the Alley Theatre’s visually delightful “What-A-Christmas!,” Houston playwright Isaac Gómez features a Christmas Eve with Margot, a Scrooge-ish, sassy Tejana fast-food worker in a place called Wanna-Burger. As this is a Texas-centric take on Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” of course, she is visited by spirits.
But before “What-A-Christmas!” even begins, you can’t help but be impressed with the set. Kevin Rigdon’s amazing scenic design makes you feel like you have been parachuted down into your local What-A-Burger, replete with a drive-thru window, those unforgettable tangerine chairs and a real kitchen to quickly deliver those orders. Everything seems real, including the camera footage of the cars going through the drive-thru and the snow that falls from time to time outside of those heavy fast-food restaurant glass doors. Even the hanging menu is perfectly placed.
This one-woman show requires star Briana J. Resa to play an array of distinct characters at a rapid-fire pace with no intermission — quite a feat for any actor. In 2020, Resa turned in a stunning and unforgettable performance in Obsidian Theater’s “Empanada Loco,” a gritty and dark play that proved her indisputable talent.
Directed by KJ Sanchez, “What-A-Christmas!” packs a lot into a 70-or-so minute show, beginning with Resa channeling characters such as Jackie Marley, a 17-year-old dead co-worker who warns Margot that she will be visited by three more spirits. These spirits will guide her regarding her missing empathy chip for a homeless person, her off-the-rails professional dreams and her grief over her deceased mother.
All of this is done with some fun references to Houston and Texas, and the best moment is when her spirit guide is the beloved singer Selena, who sings in a burgundy sequined get-up that really does make us nostalgic for such a vibrant talent who was tragically murdered.
In “What-A Christmas!,” Resa definitely delivers. It’s just too bad she doesn’t have better material. An actor can only work with what they are given, and while this show has some amusing moments, it relies so heavily on clichés and petulance that it loses steam after the great opening scene of Margot putting together a food order in record time with a side of revenge for her grumpy customer. It’s not Resa’s fault — she makes the material look better than it is.
“What-A-Christmas!” is continuing the tradition at the Alley of featuring more
“adult” shows in the smaller Neuhaus Theater, such as the entertaining “The Santaland Diaries” with Todd Waite and the superlative “Fully Committed” with Dylan Godwin.
But what “adult” constitutes here are some references to drug use and a lot of f-bombs. It’s unfortunate theaters do this because they could immediately broaden their audience by substituting wit and comedy for profanity, but there seems to be a lingering belief that if the f-word is used, it is automatically funny. But it’s lazy and boring and only vaguely amusing.
Yes, some characters use coarse language, but it only reveals so much about them. In a show like this one, vulgarity has to be funny to work, and it isn’t a good substitute for wit. Some of the conversations between Margot and her special spirit visitors start to run on too long and drag, and some of the well-worn phrases of being true to yourself and living your dream are so tepid and predictable, they run the risk of people checking out and checking their watches. Resa deserved better words to work with that could retain the high-wire act that comedy requires and that more serious issues demand.
So take the fun moments and marvel at Resa’s transformations in this Texas twist on the familiar holiday tale. Her talents are the gift in this show.