A Celebration of the Season with Rufus and Martha Wainwright
December 6, 2025 – Saban Theatre
I’ll be honest. I wanted to go to this show because of Beck. But I mentioned it to Julie and she wanted to go to see all the Wainwrights. And by all the Wainwrights, I mean ALL – Martha, Rufus, Loudon, Lucy, cousins, nieces and nephews, grandkids…they were all there.
It was my first time at the Saban Theatre. They don’t have their own lot and suggest parking under the 8484 Wilshire building next door. I came up La Cienega and there’s a clearly marked entrance to the parking garage from that side which made it super easy. The Saban website and Google Maps both said parking was $16, but when I pulled up to the attendent, she said, “$17” and when I questioned her she said they weren’t affiliated with the theater and parking has been $17 for at least 2 years. Maybe I should see about updating Google Maps. There was plenty of parking, as we were there about half an hour early. The website had said clear bag policy so I was rolling with just my phone, chapstick and earplugs in my pockets. There were lots of people milling around outside the theater and even more milling around inside. The theater gave off once-spectacular-but-now-a-little-rundown vibes. It was dirty. It needed paint. But you could see what it once was. We went upstairs to use the restroom and then Julie asked an upstairs bartender for earplugs and was sent to the concession counter downstairs. They had earplugs but were charging $3 for them and neither of us had brought what was left of our $20s when we left the car, so no earplugs for Julie.
I had gotten us decent seats in the mezzanine. We were in the center and there was only one row of seats directly in front of us because of a big black rectangle of something with a sign on it saying not to place drinks there. It’s a small theater with a capacity under 2,000 people. I think no matter where we sat, we would have had a good view of the stage. The stage was set for Christmas with Christmas trees and candles. Rufus took the stage wearing a wiseman robe and some very sparkly shoes. The Wainwrights sang I’ll Be Home For Christmas and then Rufus introduced Jake Wesley Rogers for a duet of What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve? Beck joined for a duet of The Christmas Song with Martha and the Bing Crosby/David Bowie version of Little Drummer Boy with Rufus. Jordan Firstman stole the show with Spending Hanukkah in Santa Monica (and later with Pennies in my Pussy) and then we heard from Lucy Dacus and Beverly D’Angelo. Annie Lennox and her daughter Lola were wonderful – I think they were the highlight for me. If there was a low point, I’d say it was Martha’s version of Christmas Wrapping with all of the younger Wainwrights on stage trying to dance along but mostly just looking awkward. Everyone there could really sing though. Not a bad voice in the bunch.
The evening was a fundraiser for two cancer charities in honor of Rufus and Martha’s mother and included a little video explaining the charities, with one of the recipients there to talk about it and to sing. For an extra fee, audience members could join the folks on stage to sing Silent Night and in the second half of the show, there was a raffle drawing. It was all tastefully done.
It was quite a nice way to kick off the holiday concert season. I’m not sure I’d do it again, but maybe with the right special guests.