The Flint Street Nativity - Review - January 2023

Having performed myself as a bossy and overbearing Angel Gabriel at the age of five (lording it up over tea-towelled shepherds and several nose-picking sheep) I was looking forward to reminiscing at MADS production of The Flint Street Nativity.I vaguely remembered the 1999 ITV TV film, based on the play, which had a cast of almost every notable British comedian at the time including Frank Skinner, Neil Morrissey, Jane Horrocks, John Thomson, and Ralf Little.

The script focuses on the seven-year-old pupils in the school nativity play, from the pre-performance classroom preparations to the final stage performance, which culminates in calamity.There are inevitable mishaps, misunderstandings, young egos, fears of failure, and fallings out. The children's characters eventually evolve into mirror images of their parents when the actors all appear as their parents (the play's audience) at the post-show gathering.Oversize props on stage added to the illusion of the cast being youngsters and the baby Jesus looked like a melted waxwork of Margaret Thatcher - until its head fell off!

Pianist Margaret Law-Sampson welcomed theatregoers with a lovely rendition of Christmas carols as we were seated, and the show opened with Mrs. Horrocks (played by show director Donna Beard) giving health and safety announcements.Edd Ginn, playing the Star and Donkey, was outstanding with natural and hilarious mannerisms that had me transfixed every time he stepped on stage. He also has a good singing voice and his song about 'getting away with swearing whilst wearing a donkey head' was incredibly funny and well delivered.Although the children's characters were deliberately exaggerated, the changed words to the traditional carols about their home lives and the way their parents treated and influenced them with their actions, both good and bad, really hit close to home at times.Mary, played by Jenny Humphries, had a nemesis in the jealous Angel Gabriel, played by Amy Ginn. Their rivalry was great, and Jenny delighted by playing a splendid recorder solo! At one point, the play became very current, when Joseph found himself (unwillingly) in a 'throuple', with both girls as they fought over the part of Mary and accepted gifts from the wise men.Bradley, the Innkeeper, was played by Robert Woodbridge on his debut with MADS. His song explained his 'naughty boy' reputation and fascination with tormenting the class pet, Peter Crouch, the stick insect.Robert Horscraft, known locally as the 'true Santa', shaved off his long white beard in order to play the teddy-carrying narrator of the show.Joseph/Herrod, a NASA-obsessed, distracted, and shy lad in a Burger King paper crown was played by Steve Darvill performing some great sports impressions.A bedraggled sheep was dragged onstage by shepherd, Mary Shorthouse, but she sadly didn't pick his nose.Polly Sands, David Hallett, and Tracey Robinson also gave great performances as the wise men & angelic chorus.

A small but appreciative audience enjoyed the hard work put in by the crew of Chris Page, Debbie and Ray Cox, Alison Bradbury, Jed Denness, Tony Gibbs, Gary Ginn, and Ann Page.I look forward to the next productions from Newhaven's homegrown talent at MADS - The Lying Kind in May and Telstar in August.