Introducing the unique genius of Edinburgh born comedian & actor, Douglas Walker with his fourth solo show ‘Of Christmas Past’ premiering at the Underbelly Bristo Square for the month of August. His previous sketch shows, ‘Möglich’, ‘Komischer’ and ‘Zuschauer’ were also performed in Perth and Adelaide, with Möglich being nominated for the Arts Editor Award in Perth and winning a weekly Best Comedy award in Adelaide.
The story begins in Russia 1916, where Rasputin is fleeing for his life. After trying to seek asylum in Turkey, he is bounced from diplomatic pillar to post, eventually ending up in the care of the US government. Fearing his destabilizing influence on the Russian people should he return but also not wishing him to openly reside in America, they turn to their main fixers, the Coca-Cola company, promising them anything they want in return if they can make the problem disappear.
What Coca-Cola ask for is the American government’s assistance in the most elaborate and far-reaching marketing campaign of all time. They set up a secret village in Lapland, complete with factories, lumber mills and tin mines, worked by slave gangs of Russian political exiles. The factories are making toys so that once a year Coca-Cola can give a free toy to every child in America, instilling brand loyalty from birth. They install Rasputin as the ruler of this secret village and operation Santa Claus is born!
And they might have gotten away with it if Edward VIII, newly crowned in 1936, hadn’t mistakenly stumbled upon the truth. Vowing revenge for what he sees as Rasputin’s pivotal role in the murder of his cousin, Tsar Nicholas, Edward negotiates a deal with Coca-Cola whereby he will find Santa Claus, murder Santa Claus and become Santa Claus. Of course to do so he must abdicate…
Of Christmas Past spans decades of disappearances, untimely deaths, political scandals and conspiracy theories, all of which our narrator, Douglas Walker, has discovered were really the machinations of the great and powerful to try and win the security, seclusion and resources at Santa’s finger tips. Trotsky wasn’t assassinated, Tupac wasn’t murdered, Elvis lived…as Santa Claus. Of course our narrator was shocked to discover this century long trail of deceit: the only thing more devastating than finding out that Santa Claus doesn’t exist, is finding out that he does.
Douglas is a member of Racing Minds, one of the UK’s best-loved improv troupes; their podcast series The Wireless Podcast has over 600,000 followers on Soundcloud. He hosts a monthly comedy night ‘Cheeky Blinders’ in Tufnell Park. He is also a regular contributor to Stand Up Philosophy, a comedy/philosophy hybrid which is one of London’s most innovative comedy nights.
