Crazy Christmas 2023
THE HOUSE OF UHYGGE
Cast:
Vivienne McKee
David Bateson
Andrew Jeffers
Katrine Falkenberg
Kevin Kiernan-Molloy
Sebastian Harris . Claus de Lichtenberg
Band:
Stuart Goodstein
Søren B. Petersen
Tom Højlund
Download full program:
Welcome to CRAZY PODCAST
Listen to our new podcast and hear Vivienne McKee, Søren Hall and other Toasties talk about 40 years of bringing British theatre to the Danish stages - please tune in to the first episode and hear more about how all the Craziness started
Gallery: The House of Uhygge - 2023
Photos by Thomas Petri
Costumes drawings by Kirsten Brink
Production Team - Crazy Christmas Cabaret 2023
Vivienne McKee - WRITER & DIRECTOR
Vivienne founded the London Toast Theatre in 1982, and this is the 40th Crazy Christmas Show she has written, directed and starred in. Last year she received outstanding reviews and was voted “Best Actress“ for her portrayal of “Shirley Valentine” at Teatret ved Sorte Hest. She writes plays: most recently , “Oh Baby - It’s Cole”, based on the life of Cole Porter, “Don’t Mention Hemingway” about the first female war correspondent, Martha Gellhorn, and “Shakespeare’s Ghost”. Her film and TV credits include the popular movie musical, “The Slipper and the Rose“, and TV soaps, “Coronation Street“ and “Crossroads”.
In Denmark, TV series include “Langt fra Las Vegas”, “Smil du er På“, and “Ørnen”, and on stage, “Young Frankenstein - The Musical” and Gertrude in “Hamlet” at the Shakespeare Festival in Elsinore. She plays Diana in the computergame “Hitman” and is the English voice on DSB trains. She is also a popular Stand Up comedian with her hilarious show, “Vivienne Tells All“ and “Killing the Danes”. www.londontoast.dk/vivienne-mckee
Kirsten Brink - SET & COSTUME DESIGNER
Kirsten graduated from Designskolen, Kolding in 1982. She was awarded the prize for experimental set design at the Quadrinale, Prag for “Spillerum”. She has been the set and costume designer for the Crazy Christmas since 1988, and a number of other London Toast productions. Kirsten has designed Hjørringrevyen's productions for more than 20 years. She has worked for Nørrebro Teater, Folketeatret, Cirkus Nemo, Holbæk Teater and Ålborg- Aarhus- og Odense Teater. Recently “Rusalka” and coming this spring “Flagermusen” at Den Fynske Opera, “Eksmænd“ at Folketeatret and “Dracula” at Holbæk Teater, at Odense Teater, for Odense Sommerrevy og next summer Tivoli Revyen. She was awarded the “Revyprisen” for lifetime achievements, and as a unique Director/Designer partnership for 35 years, Kirsten and Vivienne should be in the Guiness Book of Records!
Peter Friis - CHOREOGRAPHER
This is Peter's 14th Crazy Christmas Cabaret. Peter has made a name as one of the top choreographers in Denmark, creating dance numbers for all the danish theatre stages. Recently he has choreographed “Sommer i Tyrol”, “Mød mig på Cassiopeia”, “Oh happy day”, “Juleeventyr”, “Nissebanden” and “Ronja Røverdatter”. In fact he never stops dancing and encouraging others to move and groove too. www.peterfriis.dk
Cast - Crazy Christmas Cabaret 2023
Kevin Kiernan-Molloy
Kevin is Australian and lives in Denmark. He graduated from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2010. His theatre credits in Copenhagen include, "Much Ado About Nothing"and “A Midsummer Nights Dream” (After Hours Theatre), “Mairead” and “The Art of Falling” (Why Not Theatre) and “No Exit: Reloaded”- (HIT). Some of his TV appearances include "World on Fire season 2", “Neighbours”, “Home and Away”, and “Wentworth”. His film credits include "Silver", “What if it works?”, “Holding the Man” and “Pinball”. In 2019 Kevin lost his Crazy Christmas virginity in the “The Three Brexiteers” notably as crazy King Louis and ready for more fun this year for his 4th Crazy Christmas! Kevin also teaches communication skills, check out his new companies website resonatecph.com
Katrine Falkenberg
It’s Katrine’s 15th Crazy Christmas Show. This year she looks forward to playing a set of twin sisters - the good and the evil… She graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2004 and enjoyed being backing singer for Sir Elton John on a UK tour before she returned to Denmark. She has appeared in numerous musicals, shows, bands and concerts across Denmark since 1995. Over the last 21 years she has had a very successful voice-over career, including commercials, corporate videos and playing hundreds of cartoon characters. She recently started directing cartoons herself. You can hear her voice every day in the depth of the Copenhagen Metro. She’s the annoying “Lille Hjælper” in Lars von Triers “Riget Exodus”. If you are a teenager you must have seen her in season 5 of “Akavet” on DR Ultra and soon you can see her in “Sommerdahl” season 5. She has a big passion for jazz and released her own jazz-album “I De Små Timer” in 2017. www.katrinefalkenberg.dk
David Bateson
David has played many characters in Crazy Xmas Shows including James Bond, Tarzan, Angela Merkel, Gunther von Hinton(!), and even Donald Trump in 4 different shows. This year he is looking forward to getting his teeth into the role of Dracula! He also plays the conductor of DR’s Symphony Orchestra in DR’s comedy award-winning TV series “Orkestret”. He regularly appears in DR’s Koncerthuset theme concert series as a narrator, most recently celebrating music scores of fantasy films in Fantasymphony II – and a computer game theme concert scheduled for Spring ’24. David is renowned for his voice and in his own sound studio he records TV commercials, corporate films, audio books, e-learning courses, film trailers and computer games. He is the face and the voice of Agent 47 in Denmark’s internationally famous computer game “Hitman. www.davidbateson.dk
Sebastian Harris
Sebastian graduated from The Danish National School of Performing Arts in 2015. His career highlights include roles in “Billy Elliot”, “Phantom of the Opera”, “Dr. Zhivago”,“Fiddler on the Roof, “Waitress”,“The Producers” and Prince Henri in “Margrethe the Musical”. He has also worked as a resident director in “Kinky Boots” and “Miss Saigon” at Det Ny Teater. In 2019, he starred as Cole Porter in Vivienne McKee’s musical, ‘Oh Baby it’s Cole’. Sebastian is a voice actor, dubbing characters in various cartoons and live action movies. He is very excited to be back working with the London Toast Theatre in his first ever Crazy Christmas Cabaret!
Andrew Jeffers
Andrew has been an actor for over 30 years and has appeared in various British TV soaps, plays and musicals before moving permanently to Copenhagen. Now he is a voice-over speaker for commercials and documentaries. Andrew has this year been involved with a presentation in London of Ludwig Holbergs plays that have been newly translated. An evening at the Danish Embassy performing in front of the Danish Ambassador was the highlight. This is London Toasts 40th jubilee and Andrew’s 25th. 24 crazy Christmas Cabarets and a play called ‘Earnest’ (Vivienne’s adaptation of ‘The Importance of being Earnest’). www.andrewjeffers.dk
Claus de Licthenberg
Claus trained as a musical performer at The Danish National School of Performing Arts. Since 2011 he has been working as a stage manager for the CCC, organising the technical work backstage as well as playing various roles onstage in the show. Vivienne says she can’t resist exploiting his skills! He has been dancing and singing as slaves, servants, centurions, pirates, a cameo role as Conchita Wurst, and in Crazy Christmas 2019 he was the performer with the most costume changes. He can’t wait to play a monster this year.
The Graveyard Gremlins - Crazy Christmas Cabaret 2023
Stuart Goodstein
Musical Director of CCC since 2008. Stuart writes and arranges for a wide range of artists and productions for both the screen and stage and also scores international TV-commercials. This year, Stuart composed the music for Eventyrteatret’s brand new musical “Peter Pan” as well as the winter musical “Et Juleeventyr” playing right here at Glassalen. www.gtone.dk
Søren B. Petersen
Søren - also known as Bom-Bom - is a real London Toastie! He began his career with LTT 30 years ago in 1993 and has now been the drummer and Sound Effects magician for 26 CCC’s. His other work includes his own touring band “Sørens Orkester”. He is ready this year with his usual assortment of bangs and crashes, punches and farts, if his computer does not fail.
Tom Højlund Olsen
Tom Højlund Olsen has a diploma-degree in classical percussion, from The Royal Danish Academy of Music, and works as a musician in The Royal Danish Guard orkester. He has also got a Bass Guitar, and this year, he’s gonna use ALL the strings yet again.
Reviews 2023
Information
Hooray for Vivienne McKee!
“Måske har skuespilleren Vivienne McKee aldrig strålet så eventyrligt som i denne Crazy Christmas Cabaret. Og måske har hendes legendariske juleshow aldrig været så idévrimlende skønt og dramatisk vellykket som i år. Det er faktisk den 40. Crazy Christmas Cabaret i år – og den 25. julekabaret i Glassalen i Tivoli. Men ak. Nu har Tivoli besluttet sig for at skabe sin egen juleunderholdning fra næste år, så Vivienne McKee og hendes London Toast Theatre må desværre finde et andet sted til deres løjer fremover.
Det gælder med andre ord om at styrte afsted til årets uimodståelige julekabaret. I år er titlen The House of Uhygge – et ordvalg præget af Vivienne McKees kærlige og avancerede sprogforbistring mellem dansk og engelsk.”
Anne Middelboe Christensen
(READ MORE: www.information.dk)
Berlingske ★★★★
"Berlingskes anmelder godter sig..
Ikke siden Anden Verdenskrig har man oplevet noget så ondt. Herligt."
Jakob Steen Olsen
(READ MORE: www.berlingske.dk)
Frederiksborg Amts Avis / sn.dk ★★★★★
“...det hele går ud på at underholde, og det sker med en blanding af engelsk humor, standup-komedie, slapstick-påfund, satire og tossede vittigheder som værn mod den lange danske vinter, som en kollega engang skrev. I den kantet runde sal har det crazy juleshow passet som fod i hose. Godt at vide, at gruppen allerede tænker på næste års forestilling et nyt sted.”
Knud Cornelius
(READ MORE: www.sn.dk)
Kulturkupeen ★★★★★
"Flot jubilæumsshow for Crazy Christmas Cabaret: The House of Uhygge - i Tivolis Glassal - 5 store stjerner - spiller de næste par måneder - se www.kulturkupeen.dk og læs om den ukuelige Vivienne McKee og co."
Ulla Strømberg
(READ MORE: www.kulturkupeen.dk)
CphCulture ★★★★★
"...så vi gerne tager 10 år til med Crazy Christmas Cabaret.”
Michael Søby
(READ MORE: www.cphculture.dk)
Kulturinformation ★★★★★
"Vivienne McKee og hendes teaterkompagni, kan man vel kalde det, har i 40 år underholdt os med vilde, humoristiske, charmerende og morsomme shows. Det virker som om Vivienne McKee har en uudtømmelig kilde af sort humor og satire, der bare flyder i en lind strøm. I år er ingen undtagelse. Vi skal på en kort rejse, hvor historien i år er spækket med morskabsrædsel, som næsten får dig til at dø af grin. “The House of Uhygge” vil som en tsunami sende chokbølger af latter igennem din krop, og uhyggens raslende kæder, risler varmt ned ad ryggen på dig. Der er lagt op til en aften i uhyggens hyggelige navn. Men frygt ikke, som McKee siger, vi vil give dig dine penge tilbage, hvis du dør af grin.”
Louise Frevert
(READ MORE: www.kulturinformation.org)
Danmarksbloggen
"Crazy Christmas Cabaret gør det igen: Leverer en forestilling, hvor alt er i top: Tempoet, historien, humoren, dansen og bare hele stemningen. Det er også deres 40´ende sæson. BRAVO."
Anna M. T. Frederiksen og Dorte J. Thorsen
(READ MORE: www.danmarksbloggen.dk)
Kulturkapellet
“HURRAH” for 40 år med Crazy Christmas Cabaret ...Årets Crazy Christmas Cabaret giver publikum en uforglemmelig aften. Og man forlader salen med en smule vemodighed. For hvad nu? Hvad skal vi dog gøre af os selv til næste vinter? For det er jo ikke en rigtig jul uden London Toast Theatre og Crazy Christmas Cabaret i Tivoli - det svarer jo næsten til, at Disney’s Juleshow blev taget af sendefladen juleaften.”
Jannie L. Andersen
(READ MORE: www.kulturkapellet.dk)
POV International
“Vanvittigt, vittigt og musikalsk.”
Sophie Blendstrup
(READ MORE: www.pov.international)
Børsen
“Vanligt skarpt og hylende morsomt.”
Tobias Lind Larsen
(READ MORE: www.borsen.dk)
Out & About ★★★★★★
"Fyrre år, det er alligevel imponerende. Og så på engelsk, og to procent dansk med skæve oversættelser. Det kan vi godt forstå – og genkende os selv i. Nok taler vi nogenlunde engelsk i Danmark, men man kan jo gå galt i byen og lave en morsom Danglish. Dem er der et par stykker af. Og så er der sjove engelske ordspil, ’puns..
..Der er mange musikalske referencer, som i denne sjove opsætning vækker genkendelsens glæde. Blandt de mange referencer er bl.a. ’Sweet Transvestite’ fra Rocky Horror Picture Show, ’Gimme, Gimme Gimme – A Man After Midnight’ fra ABBA – og ‘Demons are a ghouls best friend’ / ‘Diamonds are a girls best friend’ (Marilyn Monroe).
Get the pun?
Forviklingerne er mange og plottene komplicerede. De skal opleves på scenen. En varm ’uhyggelig’ anbefaling herfra.”
Lars Vestergaard
(READ MORE: www.outandabout.dk)
XQ28 ★★★★★
"Årets Crazy Christmas Cabaret er den sidste i Tivolis smukke Glassal, og den er en af de bedste gennem de mange år, denne helt særlige forestilling har været i Tivoli."
Per Lundsgaard
(READ MORE: xq28.dk)
Ungt Teaterblod ★★★★★
"På sin vis er det uforudsigeligt, men gensynets glæde er stor, og det hele går op i en større enhed... det er den bedste Crazy Christmas Cabaret, som jeg endnu har set."
Christian Skovgaard Hansen
(READ MORE: www.ungtteaterblod.dk)
SCENEBLOG ★★★★
"Vivienne McKee har det samme gode hold af crazy actors med igen i år, og David Bateson, Andrew Jeffers, Katrine Falkenberg, Kevin Kiernan-Molloy, Sebastian Harris og Claus de Lichtenberg løfter igen opgaven med ynde. Eller not, for der er ingen der kan være så professionelt selvudleverende og bevidst pinlige i sin optræden som Crazy Christmas holdet – præcis som showets trofaste stamgæster elsker og forventer.
Der leges med køn og identiteter på tværs af landegrænser og sprogområder, og der er intet der ikke må siges, intet der ikke bliver afsløret i Crazy Christmas Cabaret 2023 – for det er selve essensen af den traditionsrige juleforestilling, der i øvrigt intet med jul har at gøre."
Casper Koeller
(READ MORE: www.sceneblog.dk)
KOP kultur ★★★★
“Det er sublim og rendyrket crazy komik.”
Knud Overgaard Pedersen
(READ MORE: www.facebook.com/kopkultur)
Magasinet Kbh ★★★★★
"House of Uhygge’ er en perlerække af komiske indslag, kære karakterer og ørehængere. Både de sjove parodier men også den gode musik, som udover alt det førnævnte også inkluderer Talking Heads ’Psycho Killer’, ’Wuthering Heights’ af Kate Bush og en smuk jazzet version af Britney Spears’ ’Toxic’."
Thomas Riis Jensen
(READ MORE: www.magasinetkbh.dk)
Morten Buckhøj ★★★★
"Vivienne McKee’s Crazy Christmas Cabarets er for længst blevet kult, og kan i år fejre 40-års jubilæum...Det er både morsomt og musikalsk.”
Morten Buckhøj
(READ MORE: www.mortenbuckhoj.dk)
Teaterbussen ★★★★
"Teaterbussen har følt sig “uhyggeligt” godt underholdt her til aften på premieren på The House of Uhygge. Det gav mange ekstra grin helt nede fra nederst i maven.”
Line Engelhardt Knudsen
(READ MORE: www.facebook.com/teaterbussen)
Kulturbunkeren ★★★★
"Du skal se Crazy Christmas, fordi det er tradition, og hvis du aldrig har set det før, så skal du nå det, mens det stadig er i Glassalen."
Bo Dalum
(READ MORE: www.kulturbunkeren.dk)
Set på Scenen ★★★★★
"Crazy Christmas Cabaret er en vidunderlige pause fra verdens alvolige begivenheder. En pause fyldt med humor og latter, der, hvis man altså giver slip og lader sig ride med på bølgen, byder på en ordentlig tur med motion til mavemusklerne og genopfriskning af smilerynkerne. Crazy Christmas Cabaret har aldrig været sjovere eller bedre. Lad os håbe, at dette ikke er slutningen på en fantastisk tradition, men hvis det er – hvilken slutning!"
Cecilie Refsager
(READ MORE: www.setpaascenen.dk)
gocphmmx ★★★★★★
“Get your fangs out, it’s scary, it’s fun, it’s crazy and the best show in Copenhagen. Crazy Christmas Cabaret is celebrating 40 years of being the funniest and wackiest entertainment in town this time of year.”
Ola Sjögren
(READ MORE: www.instagram.com)
Det sku' du se ★★★★★
"Vivienne McKee og London Toast Theatre har dækket op til jul med vanvittig britisk action comedy, eksekveret i Premier League-klasse”
Jens Winther
(READ MORE: www.detskuduse.dk)
