The Best Guide for the Neston Area

Neston Players Serve Up the Perfect Christmas Treat

Michael Kennedy reviews the first night of Neston Players' latest production - The Flint Street Nativity.

Whatever the "PC" Police may try to tell us, the much loved children's nativity play remains as much a part of our traditional Christmas today as the turkey roast and all the trimmings! Full marks go to Neston Players for their play selection here.

Tim Firth's play (with added music), "The Flint Street Nativity" being staged at the Civic Hall this week is a truly inspired choice. The play revolves around a group of seven year olds at Flint Street Junior School preparing to perform their annual nativity play for their proud mums and dads. The difference here being that the adult performers play not only the parents but also their children! It is a witty, well written play with plenty of "laugh out loud" moments but underneath (as the director's notes point out) "there are many layers and a touching insight into family life today". The ever present humour is often poignantly underscored by the children giving us their personal insights about their parents and lives at home. As they say, "Out of the mouths of babes!"

The production is a triumph. It is pure escapism and a joy to watch from beginning to end (a welcome break from general election campaigning and the "B" word!). From Peter Crouch, the escaped pet stick insect, to Dirty Pedro, the sombrero clad Spanish donkey, to the subversive, "psycho" innkeeper who spends the majority of his time confined to the naughty corner, this production has it all!

The play is written for an ensemble where all the actors get an equal share of the action and everyone gets his/her moment to shine. In this production each cast member is a star in their own right, bringing his/her child to life beautifully.

The actors onstage are well supported throughout by the musical and technical teams offstage and by the volunteers working front of house. The Players are to be congratulated on their overall attention to detail in this production from the mulled wine and mince pie on arrival, to the bright and colourful costumes and ingeniously made props, to the excellently presented and informative programme. Congratulations on a magnificent all round team effort!

If the reception from the opening night's audience is anything to go by the Players have a surefire hit on their hands this week!

A production definitely not to be missed.

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