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By Natalie Musumeci
Brooklyn Daily
The nightmare before Christmas is here.
Krampus, the mythological anti-Santa Claus and brutal punisher of naughty children found in European folklore, will be honored at a premiere holiday celebration this Saturday at Gowanus’ Observatory.
The local TV performance group Ghoul A Go-Go and exhibit space Morbid Anatomy have joined forces to put on a Christmas extravaganza with a gruesome twist, chock full of dancing, booze, and the horned demon known for swatting disobedient boys and girls with rusty chains and dragging them straight to the pits of hell.
“It’s definitely somewhat of a piss-take on Christmas,” said Joanna Ebenstein, founder of Morbid Anatomy.
Tthe unusual holiday party for adults is not meant to be anti-Christmas, she said, but a celebration of every facet of the gift-giving season — giving attendees a more balanced perspective of good and evil.
“Krampus is a bizarre part of the Christmas tradition in other places of the world and I like to emphasize that,” she said. “There can’t be a Santa without a Krampus in Europe. Krampus reminds us of the complexity of things and it’s truer to the reality of our world that there is a dark side and a light side.”
At the extravaganza partygoers — who are encouraged to come dressed as the cloven hoofed beast-like creature — will have the opportunity to take part in a burlesque show, including a dominatrix administrating beatings, but only if to those who have been “especially naughty,” said Kevin Rice of Ghoul A Go-Go. The long-running local television show will also premiere its “Devils” episode at the party.
There will also be a screening of Rene Cardona’s 1959 Mexican film “Santa Claus” — featuring Jose Elias Moreno as the man in the big red suit — about a devil that tries to ruin Christmas.
Ghoul A Go-Go and Morbid Anatomy’s holiday Krampus party at the Observatory (543 Union St. between Bond and Nevins streets in Gowanus, www.morbidanatomy.blogspot.com). Dec. 22, 8 pm. $13.
Reach reporter Natalie Musumeci at nmusumeci@cnglocal.com or by calling (718) 260-4505. Follow her at twitter.com/souleddout.