Witney Drama Society stage this year’s grand offering by Tim Firth at the Methodist Church Hall

A nativity with a twist is being showed in Witney this week, with adults pretending to be charming but chaotic children.

The Flint Street Nativity, with a cast of 12 and crew of 14 from Witney Drama Society, is a comedy performance written by Tim Firth.

It is about a class of seven-year-olds, all played by adults, about to perform their nativity play at Flint St. Junior School for proud mums and dads.

But trouble occurs when the Angel Gabriel wants to play Mary, Herod will not stop waving to his parents, and the innkeeper decides to liven up the traditional script.

Director of the performance Grace Wells said: “I have really enjoyed working with the cast and crew for this production.

“A great deal of planning and hard work goes into staging our shows and it has been very challenging for the cast to turn from adults to children, but we have all thoroughly enjoyed the experience.”

Anthony Beechey, who plays the narrator, added: “It has been tremendous fun being a kid again.”

Proceeds from the programme sales will be sent to Quaker Peace Social Witness, for work in Israel and Palestine, in memory of member of Witney Drama Society Dr Ed Morris, who died in an aircraft accident last July.

WDS member Margaret Hamm said it had been a difficult past few years for the drama group, due to the closure of the theatre in Witney’s Corn Exchange.

She said: “WDS has been in existence for nearly 70 years and during that time we have staged many plays, musicals and pantomimes in The Corn Exchange.

“Unfortunately due to the closure of our theatre in the Corn Exchange four years ago, we have had to find alternative venues for our productions.

“Although the Corn Exchange is open again, it is now just a hall and the theatre is no more.

“We are very grateful to the High Street Methodist Church for letting us use their little theatre but it is not suitable for us to stage the grand musicals and pantomimes that we were known for.

“Witney no longer has a theatre in which to perform pantomimes which had been a tradition in our town for many years and always very well attended by local people. It’s a shame.”

The Flint Street Nativity is on from tonight until Saturday at 7.30pm in High Street Methodist Church, Witney.

Tickets cost £9 each and can be bought from Rapture Music Store or on 01993 704032. They can also be bought on the door.

Flint Street Nativity, starts tonight with performances at 7.30pm from now until Saturday at High Street Methodist Church Hall, Witney.
Tickets £9