HADIT to perform Tim Frith's The Flint Street Nativity
So Calendar Girls playwright Tim Firth is on to a winner straightaway with his creation The Flint Street Nativity.
His canny look at the behind-the-scenes angst involved in putting on a primary school Nativity play goes straight to the heart of the matter – who’s playing the blue-robed Virgin Mary? In this case, it’s the goody-goody daughter of the chair of the PTA.
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Hide AdWhile the boys seem happy enough to be relegated to playing such bit parts as the Star of Bethlehem or a cardboard-headed Ass, the girls are already sharpening their talons as well as their acting talents.
When chickenpox threatens to eliminate Mary, bossy Angel Gabriel just knows that there is a God.
Although we learn little of the Christian message of redemption in this funny – yet poignant – play, we do discover that the Holy Infant doubles as an extremely effective cudgel!
There’s a clever twist in that all the children are played by adults, who return as the mums and dads in the closing scenes, mingling over mulled wine and mince pies.
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Hide AdThere is also music in the form of well-known carols, in which both children and parents sing whatever is uppermost in their minds.
Please note that while this is a play about children, because of a bit of naughty behaviour and some rude words, it is being billed as “a comedy for grown-ups”.
Hope Amateur Dramatic Independent Theatre are staging The Flint Street Nativity at Hope Methodist Hall, Edale Road from December 7-10. Performances are at 7.30pm on the Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday and 7.45pm on the Friday.
Tickets £8 including refreshments) are available from Watson’s Farm Shop or call producer Carolyn Garwes on 01433 620 665 for telephone bookings or further information.