Review Roundup: Lesli Margherita in WHO'S HOLIDAY

Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita plays "Cindy Lou Who" in the world premiere of Matthew Lombardo's new comedy with a twist of rhyme, WHO'S HOLIDAY! directed by Carl Andress. The strictly limited engagement plays The Westside Theatre Upstairs (407 W 43rd St, New York, NY 10036) through Sunday, December 31st.

The story involves a middle-aged Cindy Lou Who, now residing in a beaten down trailer in the snowy hills of Mount Crumpit. As she prepares to host a Christmas Eve party for her friends, she recalls from her own perspective that fated night when she first met the Grinch, and the strange turn of events her life has taken for the past 40 years. Lombardo's hysterically funny, wildly irreverent, and heartfelt parody is an absolute must-see for adult theatre-goers this holiday season!

Michael Dale, BroadwayWorld: Under Carl Andress' direction, Margherita is a comical riot, shining with moxie-laden tastelessness and irreverence. She engages front row audience members, sings with gutsy verve and even raps a bit. After an hour of lunacy, a sweet, sentiment ending is added, sending audience members off with a warm smile and probably exhausted from laughter.

Elisabeth Vincentelli, New York Times: Zippily directed by Carl Andress, a regular Charles Busch collaborator who knows his way around an innuendo, the show belongs to the evergreen subgenre of holiday offerings that proffer to dirty up Christmas while ultimately reveling in its spirit. Tellingly, it loses steam when sentimentality creeps in, and eventually concludes with an earnest singalong of a Yule classic. Even wrapped in raunchy verse, Christmas remains Christmas.

Photo Credit: Carol Rosegg