Santa’s the Culprit in ‘The X-mas Files’

Santa a rapist? So Vixen claims. The reindeer, who are giving their “Rashomon”-like depositions at the North Pole police station, give accounts of Santa’s character that range from Santa as benevolent social worker to Santa as hopeless sexual deviant.

Who is the real Santa? And who cares? Surprisingly, Jeff Goode’s “The X-mas Files,” now at the Acme Comedy Theatre, gets a lot of comic mileage out of this wacky premise. Directed by Randy Brenner, the show is a series of eight monologues, all delivered by Santa’s “Eight.” The actors, who sport fuzzy novelty antlers, are all quite good. Neal Lerner is a riot as Cupid, Santa’s only openly gay reindeer, who is dying to dish the dirt about Claus. Victoria Delaney’s Dancer is a hilariously suppressed mess who has had her own unpleasant encounter with the Kinky Old Elf.

Goode does zing in some laughs before his concept turns grim. But the play poses the question: Just how funny can you be about rape and child molestation? As the play splutters into its downbeat final monologues, the answer is--not very.

* “The X-mas Files,” Acme Comedy Theatre, 135 N. La Brea Ave., Los Angeles. Monday, Tuesday, 8 p.m. $8. (213) 258-1256. Running time: 1 hour, 10 minutes.