To me idea of sitting through an hour of somebody else’s holiday happy snaps is not the most thrilling, nor listening to some talk about the war on terror.
This year Lehmo combined these two elements to create his comedy festival show. He tells his story of how he and a group of entertainers including Angry Anderson and Besse Bardot performed for the troops in Iraq over the Christmas season.
Taking care not to offend, Lehmo points out very well that we can easily separate the war from the troops. Having this pointed out at the beginning of the show really sets a positive tone.
His photos ranged from bomb destroyed buildings to humorous signs seen around Iraq. The subtle use of the slideshow complimented the show rather than over powering it, which was what I feared it may do.
Lighting and sound played a crucial role in Lehmo’s story telling. Leaving on the sound effects of guns and grenades for the entires show was an interesting aspect. As he explained you get use to it living in Iraq, and soon you find your self becoming use to the gunshots as background noises.
I must admit I did have doubts heading in to see this show. With the title Christmas In Baghdad, it had a lot of potential to head the wrong direction and become an American bashing show. But I found my self enjoying it, laughing without hesitation at all the lighthearted jokes Lehmo made about the world.