Krampus Los Angeles

He’s certainly not jolly, and you sure as hell had better not call him “Nick.” The St. Nicholas you’ll meet tonight is the genuine old-world artifact – the stern judge who oversaw a creaky old style of child-rearing the Germans call “gingerbread and whip.”

Of course Nicholas himself didn’t dirty his hands with whips. For that he had the Krampus. Today, every self-respecting hipster loves Krampus. But while your friends rhapsodize about the ersatz bubblegum Krampus of American comic books, TV, and monster fandom, tonight you’ll get a glimpse of the old devil in his original form – the Krampus of the ancient alpine “Nikolausspiel” or NICHOLAS PLAY, a folk theater production somewhat resembling England’s old Christmas mummers’ plays.

Tonight’s play is the premier presentation of an original English translation provided by Krampus Los Angeles. Never before performed in English or even outside the Alps, these plays, date back to the 16^th century, and annual performances only survive in a few Alpine towns.  Many scholars believe them to be the source of the later Krampus traditions.  The Nicholas Play now stands on UNESCO’s World Heritage list as part of Austria’s “Intangible Cultural Heritage.”

While all this cultural import may sound too serious for fun, we’ve not forgotten our audience. Our Los Angeles production combines only the most attractive and amusing scenes involving the Krampus, Lucifer, butchered children, and the inexorable power of Death, all represented in bouncy rhyme. Whether speaking of eternal salvation or the merciless tortures of Hell, the dialogue of the Nikolausspiel is inevitably delivered in cheery couplets worthy of Dr. Seuss.

Even more grimly campy is our film feature DER STRUWWELPETER by noted fairy-tale film director Fritz Genschow, This exceedingly rare 1955 German film  never before screened in the US or even released for home media, debuts tonight with subtitles translated especially for Krampusfest.

The children’s book upon which the film is based was penned in 1845 by an asylum medic, Dr. Heinrich Hoffman, and has ever since remained horrifically etched on the German consciousness.  Der Struwwelpeter lays out the strictures of 19^th-century parenting and — even more deliciously — grisly fantasy-punishments for the errant youngster. American and UK hipsters may be familiar with the book through its interpretation by the punk cabaret artists The Tiger Lillies in their late ‘90s “junk opera” Shockheaded Peter.

Guests for this double bill are invited to come in themed wardrobe, period clothing, or holiday attire, kinder-style or adult, festive or grim. On hand will also be Bay Area artist Kimric Smythe’s KRAMPUS-DRIVEN STEAMCAR as well as our international guests: members of the Salzburg-area ALT GNIGLER KRAMPUS UND PERCHTEN PASS.

The setting for tonight’s excursion to the 1880s has also been carefully selected to further transport you to a distant time and place: Pasadena’s historic Anglican Church of the Angels, a Gothic Revival edifice dating back to 1889.

BECAUSE OF THE LIMITED CAPACITY OF THIS VENUE, WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND BUYING YOUR TICKETS WELL IN ADVANCE.

St. Nicholas 1888: A Kinder-Horror Holiday
Saturday, December 13, 2014
Early show: 6pm.  Late show: 9pm
1100 Avenue 64, Pasadena, CA 91105
Tickets $20.  Advance ticket strongly recommended!

To purchase TICKETS FOR EARLY SHOW: 6PM

To purchase TICKETS FOR LATE SHOW: 9PM

Further info — email us.

Today in Boing Boing, a story we provided about Krampusfest and the upcoming mingling of Los Angeles and Salzburg Krampus troupes.

A little quote from one of our overseas guests:

“…Zehentner is a member of one of Salzburg area’s oldest troupes, the Alt Gnigler. Mindful of traditionalist concerns, Zehentner says that with first online contact, he had misgiving about any transatlantic endeavors, wondering if Americans would “really understand our traditions—or will the Krampus be reduced to a Halloween horror figure?” Most Austrians, he says, are generally unaware of America’s love affair with the Krampus, or if they are, might expect it to result in something closer to “slasher movies than anything genuinely linked to our customs.” When he mentioned our efforts to bring the tradition to the US, most in Alt Gnigler regarded it as “madness—but in a positive way.”… More

Photo of Alt Gnigler troupe members © Foto Sulzer, Salzburg.

Another article in a Salzburg paper about our Austrian friends from the Krampus troupe (Alt Gnigler Krampus Perchten Pass) visiting LA!

Translation:

Krampus Runs all the Way to the USA

The Altgnigler Krampuses Export the Krampus Tradition to Los Angeles

SALZBURG / LOS ANGELES. Salzburg resident Martin Zehentner and the Altgnigler Krampus Troupe are bringing a special kind of export to Los Angeles. A group of artists from Los Angeles (USA) has become aware of the Salzburg tradition of the Krampus and Perchten, and took up this tradition and by the Winter 2013 had already organized a Krampus run down Sunset Boulevard. This year the Altgnigler Krampuses were invited to Los Angeles to attend more Krampus events. “That’s actually a funny story. I’ve worked for seven years volunteering with the Gnigler Krampus run and with the Altgnigler Krampus troupe and maintain its Facebook page. Sometime in the fall of 2012, I was contacted by Al Ridenour, an artist from Los Angeles. Ridenour had witnessed this tradition in the course of a Salzburg-holiday, “says Zehentner, who in early December will be flying with his sister and nephew to Los Angeles.

“I am already excited. There is a Krampus run and a Krampus ball, which is comparable to our “Krampus Spectacles. “But can you imagine that – a Krampuslauf on Sunset Boulevard? Granted, people making something like this happen must be somewhat crazy, but hardly different from some of our fanatics who spend so much time with these traditions. We felt it was very important that these Salzburg customs would be realized authentically. As we know the Americans might confuse the customs, we are hoping to act in an advisory capacity so the whole thing runs more traditionally, but the masks are very similar, “says Zehentner, who believes that this may speed up the cultural exchange and dialogue. In the coming year one hopes the Americans might be invited to Salzburg.