Thurs. Dec. 8 - Sat. Dec. 24

Had enough of "The Nutcracker" in your life? Year after year after year after ... The gals in Babes in Boinkland thought maybe some changes were in order, so they conconcted the only change that made sense to them: "A Sexy-Freaky Holiday Zeitgeist Spectacular!" - their words - which they call "The Slutcracker," which is up at the very respectable Somerville Theatre through Friday Dec. 24, Thursday through Sunday. Now, it's become a bonafide Boston tradition, has it not?

"'The Slutcracker' was so overwhelmingly popular and just plain fun, it was a no-brainer bringing it back," and Ian Judge, who directs the goings on at the Somerville Theatre. Heck, about 5000 people see the show each year. So, what's it all about?

We asked BiB's Vanessa White, aka Sugar Dish, to describe this. She, after all is a dancer and the creator of this production. She told us, "'The Slutcracker' is a dance-theatre production comprised of a coalition of Boston-area performance artists including, but not limited to, burlesque and can-can dancers, drag kings, hoopers, ballerinas, acrobats, bellydancers, actors and actresses. Through a contemporary interpretation of the traditional 'Nutcracker,' 'The Slutcracker' aims to bring the art of burlesque back to its sexy, bawdy, hilarious roots."

Fun for the whole freakin' family? Not exactly. "It's rated R," Sugar Dish says (that is if plays were rated) "because of local laws and statutes there can be no actual nudity--so they will see pasties and panties, and some sexually suggestive dance numbers and props--though it's all very tongue-in-cheek.  I'm sure some people will find it offensive - in fact, I'm banking on it."

" 'The Slutcracker' is an original, over-the-top, 'adults only' parody of E.T.A. Hoffman's classic holiday story. "It's the same show that fans of the traditional 'Nutcracker' will recognize," says Sugar Dish. "We danced in 'The Nutcracker' as children. Our ballerina playing Clarah, Sarah Joselyn, has too. Now it's time to hire a babysitter and witess a differend kind of pas de deux."

"The Nutcracker'. The story follows Clara, a virginal 20-something whose boyfriend Fritz becomes jealous of a special 'toy' she receives for Christmas from an eccentric relative." (JSInk can only wager a wild guess as to what that toy might be. Could it be something bought, say, at Good Vibrations?) "Guided by a cast of new and intriguing friends, Clara embarks on a fantastic journey into her own sexual awakening that will leave the audience titillated, inspired, and amused."

Sugar Dish, creative director of the award winning Babes in Boinkland troupe, conceived it  choreographed it and is joinned this year by members Axe to Ice Productions, Big Moves, All the Kings Men, Bitches of Destiny, Black Cat Burlesque and more. Sugar Dish says she's "bringing a lot of Boston's 'new burlesque' people under one roof. It should be noted that the venue is in and old vaudeville house, burlesque's sister in the bawdy entertainment industry."  Also, a few production notes: "Striptease was not always the focal point of burlesque shows; in fact, the striptease aspect was added as an afterthought—as a way to attract larger crowds. Before the addition of striptease to the burlesque scene, burlesque shows were created to parody high society entertainment, like opera or the ballet, and made accessible to the lower classes who could not afford such luxuries. The relatively low admission prices and the mockery of the rich helped take the sting out of being one of the 'have-nots.' 'The Slutcracker' embodies this very principle. We've taken a high-society tradition—The Nutcracker Ballet—satirized it, sexified it, gave it a refreshing storyline, and slashed ticket prices." (in photo: Lolli Hoops, possibly a stage name.) This year the name has been appended: "The Slutcracker: a burlesque."

It's an 18-plus show that costs $20 in advance and $25 at the door. The Thursday-- Sunday shows are at 8 p.m. and there's a Sunday matinee at 2.

55 Davis Square, Somerville, 617-625-5700 www.somervilletheatreonline.com www.theslutcracker.com