Photo by Joan Marcus, courtesy Arena Stage.

Arena Stage’s holiday musical, Striking 12, comes with equal helpings of grouch and optimism and a healthy dose of witty banter sprinkled on top. The comedy is not your standard musical production, with a set that equals that of a rock concert in lieu of any theatrical props or backdrops. The audience is left to imagine the visuals as the narrative unfolds in speech and song.

The story is set on New Year’s Eve, with the main character trying in earnest to avoid all celebrations, choosing to work late, dodge invites, and plan to be in bed by 11. While the character moves from fixing the copier at the office to his comfortable couch at home, he shares his thoughts on the pressures of New Year’s Eve: black tie invites, the depressing small talk at parties (“How’s that new boss working out? Did you mean to cc me on that email you sent out with your résumé attached?”), and being told to avoid a particular party by your ex-fiance.

While the first half of the show is full of delightfully cynical wit, the second half veers slightly into sermon territory with a retelling of the story of the Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen. This fairly cynical writer found herself smiling wider and laughing louder during the grumpy parts, but other not-so-cynical theatergoers seemed to equally appreciate the uplifting message in the latter half.