The Eight: Reindeer Monologues


Written by Jeff Goodethe eight poster hi res

Scottish Premiere in December 2003

Scottish Premiere of an incredibly popular American play, which mixes serious contemporary issues with side splitting humour!

Who are The Eight? Well, in reindeer circles, The Eight are The Elite – the chosen few who have the job of helping Santa deliver the Christmas presents. Every buck and doe can only dream of their fawn joining The Eight.

A scandal has broken which has shocked the world. The implications for Santa Claus, Christmas, and the reindeer are deadly serious. The eight reindeer – Dasher, Dancer, Cupid, Comet, Donner, Blitzen, Vixen, and “Hollywood” – have decided to tell their own version of events, leaving us to piece together what really happened!

Who is telling the truth? In turns hilarious, irreverent, shocking, and deeply moving, THE EIGHT REINDEER MONOLOGUES is a scathing allegory of contemporary values and morals that skewers the media and public for their obsession with sex and celebrity.

This play contains explicit adult language and themes and is not suitable for children.  Or fawns!

BACKGROUND

Jeff Goode is a writer based in Los Angeles, known in America for his darkly comic satires and monologues.  His most recent play, Marley’s Ghost, receives its first performances in the US this Winter.  Previous works include a diverse range of plays, monologues and musicals, for adults and for children.  These include Anger Box, Poona and The UBU Plays.  He has also written for MTV and Disney.  Yet it is The Eight Reindeer Monologues which has provided Jeff with his biggest hit.  Now an immensely popular and controversial production at Christmastime in fringe venues across America, the play has also been performed in Europe and Australia.

Comparisons are inevitably drawn to The Vagina Monologues, though Goode’s play was written before Eve Ensler’s international success story.  Will the Reindeer Monologues open our eyes to the experiences of Santa’s reindeer as much as Ensler’s play has related the experiences of women across the world?  Probably not.

Though written with the intention to amuse, shock and delight, Goode’s scandalous tale of life at the North Pole does have a gritty core.  See the play, look under the sleigh bells, and perhaps, just perhaps, you will realise that reindeer are more like us than we realise!

Perhaps, just perhaps, you will long for the Santa you knew as a child.

www.jeffgoode.com

VENUES

  • The Crawfurd Theatre Jordanhill, Glasgow, 5 Dec @ 8pm – £5, Box office 0141 950 3438
  • Craigmonie Centre, Glen Urquhart High School, Drumnadrochit, 12 Dec @ 8pm, £6/4 in advance (£8/6 at door), Box Office 01456 459 224
  • The Macphail Theatre, Mill St, Ullapool, IV26 2UN, 13 Dec @ 8pm – £6/4, Box Office 01854 613336
  • The Cottier Theatre, Glasgow, 20 Dec @ 8pm, All tickets £6

CREDITS

Writer  Jeff Goode  |  Directors  Thomas Gemmell, Abigail Gemmell  |  Lighting and Sound  Alistair Cairns

Dasher  Steven Leach  |  Cupid  John C Gilmour  |  Hollywood  Thomas Gemmell  |  Blitzen  Melanie Rodwell  |  Comet  Neil McCormack  |  Dancer  Abigail Gemmell  |  Donner  Jack Hodes  |  Vixen  Paola De Rosa

AUDIENCE RESPONSETHE EIGHT REINDEER MONOLOGUES (MELANIE RODWELL)

“A good show, mixing comedy and serious issues – will definitely recommend it…”

“The individual performances were delivered with great strength and character…”

“We were impressed by the way serious issues were delivered with humour to allow you to consider them fully without getting thoroughly depressed…”

“A great pleasure.”

PREVIOUS REVIEWS

  • “This gut-bustlingly funny – and completely outrageous – show, which is most definitely not for kids and should not be missed by adults, is shocking in a way theatre rarely is these days” — The Boston Herald
  • “excruciatingly funny, terribly naughty and thoroughly entertaining” — City Beat
  • “witty… tantalizing… highly recommended!” —The Chicago Reader
  • “hard-hitting in-your-face black comedy” —Evening Post, Wellington, New Zealand
  • “wickedly topical” —New York Times
  • “brisk, funny … a nice jolt of fun” —The New Yorker
  • “Brilliant. Clever. Wonderful. For those who appreciate stage excellence, this is a must see.” —Drama-logue
  • “brilliant satire of gender and sexual politics in contemporary America, filled with penetrating humor” —L.A. Weekly
  • “refreshing, disturbing, hilarious” —Naples Daily News
  • “delightfully perverse” —The Chicago Reader
  • “savagely funny” —Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
  • “Critics Choice – intense, fully realised characters… I’ve also never laughed harder” The Chicago Reader

MUSIC HEARD IN THIS PRODUCTION

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