The Flint Street Nativity (Hull)

It’s that time of year again at Truck, the office party crowd are in, Christmas crackers, party hats and tinsel are in abundance. That sparkly dress and an assortment of little black numbers are making their seasonal appearance, that’s just the blokes by the way and the kitchen’s run out of mince pies. It’s here, the season of goodwill, and what could be better to help you get “into the spirit” then a night watching the kids of Flint Street School’s nativity play?

Set in a fictitious Hull school the ten strong cast all take the parts of seven year old children who are putting on the annual nativity play in the school against a fabulous set featuring oversized props to scale down the adult actors to a child-size perspective, which is convincing enough to make one forget, almost immediately that these are not, indeed, “real” children squabbling for the best parts and centre stage, as only children can but in an innocent and equally hilariously funny way.

Immense credit must go to the entire cast who all put in believable performances which reminded every parent in the house of their own little darlings first attempts at acting, without the guilt attached when you laugh out loud at someone else’s child’s mistakes. If pushed, I would give the star performance award to Neil Caple for his performance as the Narrator, closely followed by Lucy Beaumont as Wise Man Gold, and Elaine Glover as the pushy Mary. Although it must be said that all the cast deserved a standing ovation for some brilliantly observed character acting of the children who see the world, and the meaning of the nativity, in a completely different and refreshing way to many of us who have sadly grown old and cynical over the years, (me).

Every “child” was a parody of their doting parents and the traits came out, time and time again in their actions and dialogue with hilarious consequences. This was made relevant in the closing scene when the parents did finally appear on stage and amusingly every one fitted their child’s description of them perfectly.

All innocent seasonal fun which for the majority of the near full house sent them home happy and in good cheer, what could be better in the run up to Christmas to get you in the mood? If only Truck had of realised beforehand that there might be a run on mince pies at this time of year!