Four holiday events for the adventurous

Minnesota is overstuffed with holiday events just now, from the annual big shows to entertaining oddities. Any proper holiday should be a mix of old traditions and new, and expected joys along with novel ones.

The big shows can take care of themselves. We will concern ourselves with the oddities here.

Here are four holiday events that are decidedly off the beaten path.

‘Scrooge in Rouge’ at Open Eye Theatre

The holidays don’t lack for version of “A Christmas Carol,” and haven’t since Charles Dickens first wrote his holiday ghost story in 1843.

But “Scrooge in Rouge” comes at the story from an eccentric angle. This version places Dickens’ tale in the hands of a group of musical hall performers, a sort of knockabout, working-class Vaudeville popular in the Victorian era.

And then the play kicks the props out from under itself: It gives most of the cast a sudden illness, leaving just three able to perform.

They gamely do to the best of their abilities, which promises to be as chaotic as it is delightful. “Scrooge in Rouge” plays through Dec. 30 at Open Eye Theatre in Minneapolis.

‘All I Want For Christmas Is You … To Elf Off’ at Brave New Workshop and ‘A Very Bearded Holiday’ at Huge Improv Theater

Minnesota’s venerable comedy theaters, the historic Brave New Workshop and the improvisatory Huge Theater, are both reliable venues for patrons looking for holiday offerings punctuated (and sometimes punctured) by satire.

The former has a long history of seasonal sketch comedy, and this show has been directed by artistic director Caleb McEwen, who has a long resume as possessing one of the wildest comic sensibilities in the region.

The latter, in the meanwhile, features The Bearded Company, a bicoastal improv troupe, if you consider the Mississippi to be a coast (they also perform in Los Angeles). Here, they offer a grab bag of holiday mayhem, including, possibly, an “erotic snowball fight.”

“All I Want for Christmas Is You … To Elf Off” plays through Jan. 27 at the Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis; “A Very Bearded Holiday” plays through Dec. 29 at Huge Improv Theater in Minneapolis.

Yuletide Sweater Ball at Hook and Ladder Theater and Lounge

This is the 15th annual event of the memorably named Pistol Whippin’ Party Penguins, a quintet that plays uptempo roots music with close harmony vocals.

This is the sort of folksy party music that Minneapolis has long been home to — decades ago an entire community of pickers and strummers paid rent by throwing this sort of event at various dives and living rooms in the Cedar Riverside area, and it’s never gotten less celebratory; perfect for the season.

They will be joined by special guests Maygen & The Birdwatcher and Steam Machine. The performance is Dec. 22 at the Hook and Ladder Theater and Lounge in Minneapolis.

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