The Christmas Present at the Broadwater Black Box in LA Delivers a Gift Just in Time for Christmas

By Matthew Rodriguez

Broadwater Black Box’s The Christmas Present in LA grapples with difficult themes in a responsible manner. This is a play for adults but with a delicate tone.A divorced man easing his holiday loneliness with a “female companion,” The Christmas Present quickly evolves into a peaceful sense of speech, a piece that tackles the duality of gags and truth, loneliness and anger, perceptions and reality. For this holiday season, it’s imperative to go the Broadwater Black Box to see this high level of theatre.

It’s incredible to see Troy Blendell work as Colin. He speaks as if your ear is pressed to the wall to listen in, a fluidity of pace. With an irresponsible actor, Colin would be unlikeable and hard to follow but with Blendell, Colin is us. Blendell presents reflective imagery with expert manner in order to get the audience at a learnable sense of mind. It’s hard not to feel inspired when you watch Blendell perform, his command of the story and stage cannot be overstated. An achievement.

Mandi Moss as Debbie humanizes an ignorance that plagues the sex work industry. It’s like an “oh duh” moment, where an incredible performance allows you to relate to a taboo. Instead of a news article or a political advertisement, Moss’s truth makes you feel protected and safe, knowing that these issues are finally being accepted to the point that can finally be discussed. Without judgment. And ready to be listened to.

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Sophie Cooper as Holly brings a dreamlike role to life. Cooper floats and glides at Colin’s imaginative drifts. At the core, the believability only happens thanks to Cooper portraying the role with a scribe like quality. Studied, as if to say, this is the sad reality for the lonely. And to have that far off dimension, to achieve that distance of reality and perception, would require an actor to be perfect. To that, Cooper expertly plays.

Written by Guy Picot, it becomes immediately clear a master is at work. Seventeen years since the play’s inception, the work ages and respects its own length of time as if to say “I knew and now you do too.” A gentle hand, Picot guides. Experience that truly requires years of learning.

The production team is equally as necessary. Picot directs in complete control of the narrative flow. The design consultation by DeAnne Millais helps set a perfect playground for the actors to reside. While the lighting production and sound design team remain unlisted as of this review, it’s clear that Picot has the complete idea of this production like a fine greased wheel.

A Christmas Present captures the essence, the pulsating pain of loneliness, the dangers, and its leeching influence. A tightrope crossed in the UK and now here in the US, Picot brings a conversation with a tone only a master could. Don’t waste time idle on your phone, go watch theater, go watch The Christmas Present.

The Christmas Present, written by Guy Picot.
The Broadwater Black Box, 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90038
December 13-22, 2019 8:00 PM
Tickets: $18
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