Dark side to Prebble's Christmas

Prebble, who plays youngest daughter Loretta on television’s Outrageous Fortune, will take to the stage in The Eight: Reindeer Monologues at the Basement Theatre.

The Reindeer Monologues is the story of scandal in the North Pole as eight of Santa’s reindeer discover their master has been up to un-Christmasy behaviour with Rudolph.

Antonia says the play is funny, but dark.

"It’s not your typical Christmas story."

She plays reindeer Dancer, an ex-ballet instructor who has had a change of life circumstances.

The return to the stage will be a change after full-time screen acting after five seasons of Outrageous Fortune.

"I’m really nervous because I haven’t done theatre in a long time," she says.

"But it’s good to do something that terrifies you."

The play is also taking an unconventional approach with its cast.

Forty actors will alternate over the 14 performances, meaning audiences will never know which cast of eight they’re going to get on the night.

Antonia says it will be a surprise every night.

"It’s like an early Christmas present."

The 24-year-old Eden Terrace resident will be taking a well-earned Christmas break when the show finishes on December 19, spending a few weeks in her home town Wellington.

Reindeer Monologues director Cameron Rhodes says coordinating 40 actors in the cast has been a huge job but is a novel way to present a play.

There will be a mixture of well-known actors and newcomers on each night, and he hopes people will come more than once over the two week season to see how the different actors interpret the same role.

Characters like sleazy Santa, an alcoholic Mrs Claus and a drag queen reindeer will have the audience laughing and cringing at the same time, he says.

But it’s definitely a play for adults.

"It’s dark and satirical. It’s an antidote to the commercialism of Christmas."

The Eight: Reindeer Monologues is on now and runs until December 19 at the Basement Theatre.

Tickets are $30, available from www.iticket.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News