Little Miss Christmas ★★★

At the heart of performer Patti Boo Rae’s new Christmas Cabaret variety show, Little Miss Christmas, there is something warm, kind, and just right for the season.

The show, developed in Newcastle by Boo Rae’s production company in collaboration with the Alphabetti Theatre, stars Patti as the victory-hungry sole competitor of the eponymous Little Miss Christmas Pageant – a pageant she is determined to win for the fifth time in a row.

To this end, Boo Rae must dance, sing, lip-sync, play pre-produced skits on the TV behind her, take an interview from an audience member, and perform burlesque – and that’s all before realising that her opponent (a local guest artist that changes every night!) is waiting in the wings to perform their own routine in a bid to win the pageant for themselves.

This is a compelling structure, and the show is a well-made and colourful romp, full of laughs and disparate elements that come together for a sweet seasonal message. However, there is a slight problem from the off that doesn’t entirely go away: Patti Boo Rae is too likeable.

In the first half, before the interval placed at 45 minutes, Boo Rae sets herself up as narcissistic, selfish, and ambitious – the villain of her own story. The problem is that it isn’t quite believable. She isn’t nasty. She certainly isn’t cruel. She doesn’t have a rapport with the audience that suggests this – there is little audience ripping that could set her up in this way. She does work with the crowd, but it’s not taken as far as it could go. She’s just a little bit too nice.

There is also something almost shy about Patti that immediately puts you on her side. Even her burlesque has an element of curated clumsiness to it that makes you feel for her. That is not to say she is an ineffectual performer. On the contrary, she is a joy to watch – a wonderful dancer and an even better singer. She is such a good singer that it almost feels a waste to watch her lip-sync when we could be hearing more of her voice.

We are, at this point, supposed to be rooting against her, but we aren’t. This leads to an unfortunate lack of story tension. There is also a slight lack of polish in some of the comedy sequences, both those on screen behind the artist and those performed live. There are several bits that forsake setup and punchline in favour of general comedic tone, which unfortunately falls a little flat.

That said, there are good jokes in this piece. A particular mention must be made for the underwater sequence, which is both hilarious and impressive and makes it clear that this is a performer who has much more to give. The inclusion of a guest routine is also a lovely idea that makes sense for the show – it is both humorous and community-fostering. On the night of the review, the guest artist was Duane Nasis, stunning and hilarious in a burlesque dance as a mighty bird of prey (a condor perhaps?).

The show boasts a well-made set. Large Christmas presents form both steps, platforms and a seat for Patti depending on her mood, and a Christmas tree houses both the coveted Candy Cane Crown and pre-wrapped gifts for hapless audience members to unwrap before joining in the chaos.

Little Miss Christmas is greatly complemented by its well-thought-out ending, wherein Boo Rae is able to reconnect with her younger self. In a genuinely beautiful moment, she harmonises with herself – her onscreen and onstage personas becoming unified for a bittersweet and heartwarming redemption.

This show has a real atmosphere of community to it. The bringing in of local talent and the takeaway of the ending come together for something that feels significant and essentially related to Christmas.

It seems Boo Rae must either hone her ambitious and bratty stage persona or delve deeper into what she seems to be at her core – a wholesome girl with the desire to help people feel a little less alone around Christmas. Whatever she decides, she’s definitely one to watch.

Little Miss Christmas ends up as a funny and thoughtful variety show that, with a little more development, could become something really special.