Hasland Theatre Company’s The Flint Street Nativity – 19 January 2026, The Playhouse, Chesterfield
Review by Nicola Bourne.
As the curtain falls on yet another panto season, it didn’t feel out of place watching Hasland Theatre Company’s production of The Flint Street Nativity last night at The Playhouse. In fact, with Christmas still visible in the rear-view mirror, it was actually a nice way to round up the festivities, before moving on with the new year!
If, like me, you have watched many of your own children’s school nativity plays, you will recognise the all too familiar nerves, chaos, mistakes and fluffing of lines, as Flint Street Primary School prepares for its annual nativity. Otherwise, you need only to recall your own primary school experiences, to remember that all nativities will, no doubt, have a popular, attractive, confident lead, an element of rivalry between the Mary and Joseph wannabes and will include characters who clearly would like to be anywhere else but up on that stage!
Add to that the preparations and backstage trials and tribulations, and you have yourself a scenario ripe for comedy. Writer of the original film and subsequent stage adaptation, Tim Firth, created a funny, poignant show, that still reminds you of the power play involved, even among young children, and evokes the realisation, as a parent, that school life is universally difficult, as your children learn to navigate their fears, friendships and expectations from both parents and teachers.
Director and Assistant Director for this production, Lucy Pledge and Becky Shaw, have successfully captured the essence of the film. Sticking closely to that version, albeit within the confines of a theatre, it still feels very natural and doesn’t appear to lose any of its original charm. While adult actors playing children can, in my opinion, sometimes be a hit and miss affair, here they managed to completely draw me into their world, and the audience was treated to a believable childlike performance from each, and every cast member. Any character exaggerations were entirely necessary for the comedy to land and for the poignancy to hit home.
I honestly loved each character and each actor’s portrayal of them. Having recently rewatched the film, though, I particularly felt that Carl Eaton’s deadpan innkeeper vibe was very close to that of John Thomson and that Andrew Heyna’s energy matched that of Frank Skinner, with his sport obsessed Joseph and his talent for physical comedy. I really felt for Ray Dell’s Wise Man and his struggles with his lisp, and he brought a poignancy to his situation that only an adult could understand; it’s true when they say that children can be cruel! I loved Nathan McNicholas’ Star of Bethlehem; his sensitive character was better, for me, than in the film, and we all knew a bossy Mary (sorry Annie Phillips, but you played her well!) The sounds you made while giving birth were really funny too!
Stopping short of mentioning everyone’s strengths (which I could easily do), I do need to say that Sarah Breen’s childlike voice was perfect. She has a certain something; her acting ability and stage presence do stand out, in my opinion! I also love that we got an insight into each pupil’s background, as they inserted their own story and lyrics into popular Christmas carols.
Nicky Beards’ costumes reflected the simplicity expected from any real-life nativity; I’m picturing the faithful old dressing gown and tea towel combo here! The small things amused me though, like the innkeeper’s bar towel headwear, because the pupil was the son of a pub landlord, or the one sock up, one sock down situation, that was guaranteed to drive any proud parent mad! There were some great, more sophisticated costumes though, meant to reflect the parent’s enthusiasm or need to impress … and we all knew someone who went to great lengths to provide the best outfit, embarrassing their child in the process!
The props were also great for providing a laugh: a tiny, Spanish speaking donkey, incapable of carrying anyone anywhere, the “gold” present and a choice of baby Jesus dolls with differing hair colours come to mind. Also, lighting was used to suggest when the unseen teacher, Mrs Horrocks, was directing the children, and, although her voice was heard in the film version, this was a creative, practical alternative for the stage.
So, if you fancy extending your Christmas experience, this show is ideal: it’s light-hearted, witty and comical and, being told from a child’s perspective, it will appeal to all ages. Scratch the surface, though, and I suspect, as an adult, you may take an extra something from it: empathy for children who are struggling, nostalgia from your own time at school and an unnerving realisation that your views shape your children and may be recited word for word in the classroom. Based on real events and input from primary school teachers, I think we can safely say what happens at home doesn’t, in all likelihood, stay at home!
Packed full of jokes and laughter, amusing wordplay and children’s innocence, it’s another gem from Hasland Theatre Company!
