There is a special place for sensitive people

And that place is not 7 Stages. Especially not for Krampus Presents: The Tragical Death of Dr. Faust.

I’ve waited to post this until after the holidays because, well, it’s not really about the show itself. It’s not about the ugly side of Saint Nick or the dirty side of the holiday spirit. It’s not about debauchery, really. It’s about the fact that if you can not handle enjoying yourself then please stay home.

I see show after show, read book after book, and I talk about what I like and don’t like. I discuss the merits of the bigger picture, what the creator was trying to say about culture, society and humanity, all these higher knowledge type things. But I would never do that with something that wasn’t asking for it. I take what is given me in its very own special context. Sometimes a fart joke is just a fart joke and doesn’t need to be dissected.

Krampus was funny, silly, dirty, off-color, risky, naked, and drunk. It was the holiday fart joke of the season and even included free hand-tossed PBRs. What’s there to complain about? A lot, apparently if you were under the confused impression that this was supposed to be a theological show about equality and knowledge. There isn’t a deeper meaning here. The point of the show was to play some rock n’ roll, show some titties, be raucous, and hear a little tale sprinkled with jokes that were meant to offend everyone racially, sexually, historically, and religiously. They were affronts for every character class in that theatre. It was comedy, which if you watch comedy, is usually what happens. We make fun of ourselves, each other, our mothers. We relate and laugh through shared queasiness and deprecating giggles.

So here is my advice to 7 Stages and to possible attendees of Krampus: One, 7 Stages you need to make sure that the show itself is an error-free, rehearsed, and as clean and tight production as possible so that even “Sensitive Sirs and Sallys” can’t find a way to truly find fault in the show. Two, put a very large disclaimer on everything relating that if you can not find the funny, you over think and theologize everything from McDonalds commercials to a tampon, or simply maybe you just hate yourself too much, then skip this one.

7 Stages, keep doing what you are doing. Keep putting out productions that push limits and start conversations. Even if it means forcing me to get very drunk while listening to “intelligence”. Thank God I love a fart joke and don’t need to constipate the fun still left in this world.