The Not-12 Days of Not-Christmas | Camden People's Theatre

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© Corinne Din Din

Lights go up on 16 bright-coloured foam boxes. Stage center, Lila Robirosa - whose simple yet effective costume reminds of both a pawn and a bell - limpidly intones: "The first term of the first year of university gave to me...". The rest, you'll want to figure out on your own. Suffice to say, Lila's reinterpretation of the famous tune The Twelve Days of Christmas retraces her nine terms of university and the hilarious and almost grotesque things that happened to her in those three years. 

The show is a collection of comedic anecdotes candidly discussing queerness and womanhood. Since the order in which they're performed is decided by the roll of a dice, they're cleverly conceived to work both on their own and within the wider narrative - like stackable storage units. Lila's friendly and light-hearted style allows her to build rapport with the audience quickly; and we remain loyal to her all night, as she - more or less diligently, but always with great purpose - moves from one square to another and unlocks the secrets within. 

Audience participation is a particularly successful element of the show; Lila gives precise tasks to the people whose help she seeks, making them an important part of the game without putting them on the spot. Awkwardness is a key feature of the 50 minutes we spend together, but it doesn't come from us. Rather, Lila joyously sits with absurd parts of her life and celebrates their cringy power, making us laugh and relate. 

There's not a dull moment in The Not-12 Days of Not-Christmas. It retains the playfulness and curiosity of a game, and ingeniously uses existing frames (such as the above-mentioned Christmas song) to deliver fresh content. A premature Christmas gift in which the packaging is as important as the content. 

© Greta Rilletti Zaltieri, 2022

Last performance at Camden People's Theatre tonight! Grab your tickets here. 

Location: 58-60 Hampstead Rd, London NW1 2PY, UK

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