'Farley Family Christmas' will have you rolling in the aisles

OREM — Bedecked with a number of tin-canned, toilet-papered, and tinseled Christmas trees, the stage of the "Farley Family Christmas" sets the tone for this melting pot of comedy, corn and doofus-ness.

James Arrington's one-man show puts the "fun" in this dysfunctional family of characters ranging from family president, Heber J. Farley, to Lonnie Jack Johnson, the Texas Farley. The show consists of a number of vignettes featuring members of the clan and their particular talents. Even the audience is adopted for the night for this annual family fiasco.

This production is an extension of Arrington's "Farley Family Reunion," with the main characters including Heber, Viola Waddups, Aunt Pearl Axelson and Grandpa Asa Dean. New characters in the Christmas show include Beatrice Farley and her household hints, Utahna "Sweetums" Farley in a "Chicofsky" dance spectacle, Veta and Theta (the twins) playing a one-of-a-kind organ duet of "Sleigh Ride" and Army-bound Lonnie Jack singing Silent Night Texas style.

Arrington's quick wit and supreme improvisational skills make this a fun evening for the whole family. It's not perfect — there are a couple of slightly overdone and perhaps stale parts to the show, but in the grand scope of things it is a holiday production that would even have Santa laughing.

One of the great parts of the show is the audience interaction. As a warning, the more you dress up for the holidays, the more likely you are to be displayed on stage. All participants are winners and receive optimum gifts from Aunt Pearl for their efforts.

It is the Chicofsky Dance with Sweetums that brings the house down. The Nutcracker will never look the same. Arrington's costume for this performance is a mix of Sta-Puff Marshmallow Man meets Frosty the Snowman meets the Sugar Plum Fairy. And as soon as Sweetums ends her pirouettes, Uncle Heber re-appears to continue the show. Kudos to Arrington for his quick change artistry.

If you need something to do this weekend, by all means take in one of the last two performances and meet the Farleys.

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If you go

What: "Farley Family Christmas" starring James Arrington

Where: Ragan Theater at UVSC

Time: 7:30 p.m. (show length is 2 hours, includes intermission)

Cost: $10, $8 for seniors, children, faculty, staff and students from other schools with I.D., $6 for UVSC students with I.D.

Of interest: The more dressed for Christmas the more likely you'll win a prize!

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E-MAIL: pugmire@desnews.com