Comedy at Christmas

Last night Swanmore Amateur Dramatic Society burst back onto the post-Covid am-dram scene with their innovative compilation show “Comedy at Christmas”. Creative Director Caroline Powell has assembled a refreshingly eclectic mix of Christmassy pop songs, poems, readings and sketches to help us forget the last eighteen months and put us in a festive mood.

Music was supplied by the talented SADS band (a.k.a. Retrofit), with powerful lead vocalist Danny Jeffs not only bringing us a great selection of favourite Christmas hits, but also compering the show. Andrew Fost’s lighting was just right for the occasion, highlighting the band or stage, as required. We were all seated around tables, which kept us nicely spaced apart and allowed us to get to know each other and feel the sense of community that this group seems particularly good at fostering.

Each half of the show featured a little one-act play giving the company a chance to stretch its acting legs again. “A Twitch in Time” by Horry Parsons in Act 1 was well performed and gently amusing, as a band of twitchers conflicted with an am-dram committee trying to decide their next show. Act 2 featured “An Almost Correct Christmas Story” by James O’Sullivan which, while sticking pretty closely to the Nativity Story, felt more like an excerpt from The Life of Brian. It was very funny and well-acted by everyone concerned (especially the sheep!) Congratulations must go to Brenda Austin for costuming both plays so well.

The other individual items were well-chosen and suitably festive. My favourites were “Goodwill to Men – Give Us Your Money” – what’s not to love about a Pam Ayres poem; “The 12 Days of Christmas” beautifully presented with increasing frustration at the practical problems such gifts would bring; and the thought-provoking “A Politically Correct Christmas Poem” with its poignant ending.

Sadly, the programme didn’t detail who performed each item, so I cannot compliment individuals, but this was really a team effort and I must heartily congratulate the cast, the band, the backstage crew, the creative team and the front of house people for bringing us such a warm and hearty start to the Christmas season.

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