Realism embedded into Fantasy
Unlike most online virtual holiday shows, A very Merry Kraken Tea Party, is an original script and takes into account the vicissitudes of celebrating Christmas during a pandemic and the impact of COVID on a recently formed or reformed relationships. Artswest production follows the characters of Justin Huertas 2019 hit The Last World Octopus Wrestling.
It involves one female gay couple and one male gay couple, who are related and therefore very close to each other, but must spend the holidays alone. Compounding this is that one of the gay women is awaiting a COVID test, which puts strain on their recent reunion. There are various songs about isolation, loss of family connections due to the pandemic, and reminiscences of childhood Christmases. ¸
The strength of this production was due to the visuals, panoramic views of Seattle, provided by production designer Cameron Lee, and excellent animated illustrations by Alex Gilbert, Porscha Shaw as Nia had a strong speaking and singing voice.
In my personal opinion, the show lacked a strong dramatic plot, the melodies and lyrics, which did not seem to differentiate themselves from one another, did not evoke any strong emotions in me, but it was refreshing to see an original Christmas show that actually incorporated contemporary themes.
Artswest: A Very Merry Kraken Tea Party. Online, on demand. Princes range from $10 to $100.
Tickets: https://artswest.secure.force.com/ticket#/instances/a0F1Y00000x8PLgUAM