The Flint Street Nativity

What a great start to the festive season for the audience as we watched the traditional Nativity play unfold. The play brought out the child in the cast, as they played the parts of Mrs Horrock’s class at the Flint Street Junior School. This could so easily be overdone and become farcical but the cast kept in control that urge and were quite believable.

Christine Trenholm as Director has experience working with children which would be a plus when dealing with her cast’s characters, she also worked alongside Genevive West guiding her in her first directing roll. Thank you ladies, for a riotous evening’s entertainment, we all were remembering our School plays afterwards and comparing notes.

The 11 members of the cast all worked hard dashing on and off stage never missing a cue. Richard Broadley as the Narrator Tim, was just right for this important role he showed his character gaining confidence through the production and spoke up beautifully!

Katie Bowie, as Jenny playing Mary, showed the prim and proper child who gets annoyed with others who have not learned their lines, she gained our sympathy. She partnered Joseph played by Ryan, played by Andy Howard, he managed to be gormless and forgetful Andy has been away from the stage for ten years, welcome back.

The Angels always play a large part in the nativity, Kate Staines, as Ashley played the part of Gabriel. She fought her way through the production causing trouble and managed this very well, giving us plenty of laughs along the way. Frances Bainbridge playing Gemma was the other Angel, trying her best to keep everyone happy, she gave a lovely performance of the child dithering between friends, and never quite getting it right, lovely wings as well.

Alongside the Angels was the star, played by Marcus alias Ewan Mc Nulty. He gave a performance reminiscence of a childhood friend of mine who loved all things to do with space and the galaxy, Spot on Ewan.

The Bethlehem scene would be nothing without a stable, adapted from the house corner of course with the Innkeeper, Bradley, played by Chris Donnelly. Looking the part of the hassled chap with tousled hair, worrying that Mary likes flat hair and then finding an answer leading to more hilarity.

About the stable we find Donkey played by Steve Charlton, it was a miracle you survived the play with the head on well played.

Shepherds played by Zoe, who in fact is Deborah Hugill coped well taking the part of many. We loved her portrayal of the no nonsense tell it as it is child.

Terry West (Adrian) and Laura Roberts (Jess) both took the parts of the Kings, Jess not quite sure who she is friends with at any given time and Adrian who is finding it hard to fit into a new class, both gave convincing performances.

And so to the final fight over the Christ child, great ending I thought, but we then meet the parents while the children are changing, all is revealed.

Thank you everyone for my invitation to start Christmas, I have to mention that the music added to the play was very well executed, I’m sure it takes hard work to put crazy words to well-known carols, and some nice vocals came through thanks to Andrea Rhodes, Vanessa Jamieson and Richard Broadley.  My first visit to this group led me to think that everyone mucked in to help build the set, typical schoolroom, with charts and the Teachers cupboard and the home area. Good use of off stage area for the playground, well done team.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.