Going into the Nativity! The Musical we thought we knew what to expect: lighthearted Christmas songs, youthful enthusiasm, and extremely talented child-actors who not only met the demands of this theatrical adaptation, but surpassed them.

Following the children of the underfunded primary school St. Bernadette’s who rehearse and prepare for their yearly Nativity performance, we are guided through the show by the man-child Mr Poppy, played by Ben Lancaster, who bounced with the childlike brilliance of his cinematic counterpart. Additionally, Mr Maddens, superbly played by Billy Roberts, boasted a voice entirely reminiscent of Martin Freeman, despite playing a grumpier and slightly less sincere version of his film doppelganger.

Another change was that while the film focuses heavily on the emotional trauma that Mr Maddens experiences around the Christmas period since being left by his long-term girlfriend, Jennifer, who walked out after he proposed, the musical has a different overall tone. While his character is still clearly brokenhearted, the musical spends less time dwelling on his inner turmoil and more time on the catchy new songs. Several other minor plot points were altered, perhaps for the sake of the young demographic of the theatre production, and a few new characters were brought to the stage. Despite this, what makes Nativity! so magical and unforgettable remained.

The standout performance of the show was Gordon Shakespeare, played by Matthew Rowland. Every movement he made was filled with the intensity and flamboyance of a pantomime villain, except he also had an outstanding singing voice and the dance moves of a Strictly professional. Every single actor on stage was brimming with talent, though, and we were particularly blown away by the brilliance and flair of the children.

The actual performance of the Nativity at the end of the show was the moment we had all been waiting for, and it certainly did not disappoint. Despite being performed on a relatively small stage, a sense of grandeur was created by the beautiful props and sets, and the musical itself stuck pretty closely to the film’s version. The performances of the film-favourite songs were worth the wait; the ‘Sparkle & Shine’ reprise had the entire audience cheerily dancing on their feet, and the musical’s rendition of ‘One Night, One Moment’ created a beautiful auditorium full of glittering light when our phone torches replaced the candles from the film.

Overall, the infectiously joyous cast that sparkled and shone, entirely made the show what it was: witty, energetic, and full of the excitement and optimism of a childhood Christmas. With some subtle class commentary sprinkled in, Nativity! is a story of hope, friendship, and learning how to love, all punctuated by Mr Madden’s impossibly adorable puppy. This show is the perfect start to the Christmas period; it will thaw any winter-blues, remind you of your inner child, and inevitably encourage you to go home and frantically rewatch all the films.

Rating: 5/5

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