Korea may not be as caught up in the festive fever that characteristically grips America at this time of year, but a hilarious diagnosis of Christmas-crazed shoppers at the world’s largest department store is nevertheless to be given in Seoul.

Theatergoers are to be exposed to the good, the bad and the farcical of Christmas commercialism through a production of American humorist David Sedaris’ “The Santaland Diaries” at White Box Theatre on Dec. 24 and 25.

The production at Seoul’s only dedicated English language theater offers a derisive take on the commercial Christmas wonderland that Sedaris experienced working as a Santa’s elf at Macy’s department store in New York.
Stand-up comic Daniel Kennedy wonderfully retells Sedaris’ anecdotes of parents behaving badly to create the perfect festive experience for their offspring in the hilarious one-man comedy, his comic timing perfectly capturing Sedaris’ trademark wit.

“It is about Christmas, but it is through Sedaris’ eyes,” said the 33-year-old of the hour-long production. 

“It is pretty bitter and jaded. Although there are moments where he comes close to a warm Christmas spirit, he backs away from it pretty quickly.”

Kennedy, originally from Missouri, deftly achieves the balance of jaded sarcasm and humane humor needed to make the rapid-fire gags sing ― raising laughs from shoppers’ rising desperation to attain the perfect festive experience as Christmas approaches.

“It’s quick and it’s episodic,” Seoul resident Kennedy said of the script.

“If you don’t like a scene just wait a minute and you might like the next one. There’s bound to be something in it that appeals to you, the jokes are very rapid fire.”

The theater graduate, who recently opened for L.A. professional comedian Kyle Kinane, is a trained actor, playing the title role in Macbeth as well as writing and producing plays and performing at the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh.

“It’s great to have an actor with such a natural sense of comic timing” director and founder of White Box Theater Desiree Munro said.

“I have been lucky to have found an actor that has a natural talent for both acting and comedy. It makes my job so much easier, and of course his stage presence is incredibly commanding, not to mention downright hilarious.”

“The Santaland Diaries” was the launching-point for Sedaris’ writing career, before he went on to produce famous works such as “Me Talk Pretty One Day” and “When You Are Engulfed in Flames.”

The comedy is the first show at White Box to be performed with Korean subtitles.

“Christmas is a time for sharing with friends and family, we’ve been trying to do shows with subtitles for a long time, to make the theater more accessible and inclusive to our Korean friends. I’m glad we’ve got it done in time for Christmas.” Munro said.

Tickets to Santaland Diaries are 15,000 won and can be booked through the website www.probationarytheater.com.

The evening show on Dec. 24 is already sold out for the three-show run but tickets are still available for 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve and 8 p.m. on Christmas Day.

White Box Theatre is located a three minute walk from Exit 2 of Hyochang Park Subway Station or a five minute taxi ride from Itaewon.

By Kirsty Taylor (kirstyt@gmail.com)