Christmas Spectacular

Christmas Spectacular, Radio City Music Hall

Not my usual cup of coffee, but when guests come to visit, sacrifices must be made. Many New Yorkers - of all persuasions - have come to treat the annual Xmas show as a mandatory bit of yuletide treacle. This was my first time and, while it is mindlessly enjoyable, I doubt I'll be back next year.

The evening is spearated into about a dozen Acts, all basically centered around Santa Claus's shenanigans. As usual, great NYC performers are available, so vocalizations are belted and stage business is sharp. But Santa's personality has been commercialized to appeal to all groups, as evidenced by one Act's "Santa Can Rock" gyrations. Mercifully, this happens without laser effects yet they would not be out-of-place.

The featured performance of The Rockettes is certainly worth a viewing -- even though their kicklines are not high dance concept, their training and cheery perfomances are a joy to watch. Especially when they're forced to do this in a variety of garb.

There also a nice act showing Christmas in New York complete with a pair skating axels and lifts on a large rink on stage (the hall boasts the largest indoor theater in the world, says their press).

The finale is a tableux of the nativity with donkeys, sheep, and camels. Quite a sharp distinction from the rigorously non-religous theme of the previous hour. I assume that this is a vestige of a much more non-PC show dating back several decades.