Home is a special kind of feeling

This week our Pre-prep girls have been performing their Nativity play for parents. Those who were able to attend will have learned that our Year 1 teacher and playwright extraordinaire Mrs Carol Kew works with the Year 2 pupils to perfect each year’s new plot. The girls really wanted there to be plenty of animals involved, velvety soft music, for the script to only sometimes rhyme, and for the angels to be very important to the story.  The group also thought it was important that the story should be told in a way that is sad at some points and happy at others. As a final, somewhat challenging, request, the girls stipulated that there must be quotes from Shakespeare, Roald Dahl, and even The Beatles. Mrs Kew never fails to come up with an entertaining and moving plot, and this year was no exception!

The plot followed the journey of three animals – a robin, a donkey, and a lamb – from Noah’s Ark right through to the birth of Jesus as they looked everywhere to find a home, from the ark, to the shepherds’ field, to the three kings’ sumptuous palace, before helping Mary to the stable where the first Christmas took place. This would usually be where the nativity story ends but, as an angel explained to the audience, the three friends had to move on and continue their search for a home. While everyone else was celebrating Christmas the three homeless friends had been forgotten – until they were welcomed by the angels and taken to the stable. Here they felt comfortable and ‘at home’, and discovered that home really is a special kind of feeling. The Year 2 girls have the main speaking parts and the pupils in Reception and Year 1 all have something to say and plenty to sing. The girls all performed their lines confidently, sang beautifully (even one French carol, sung in French), and did an excellent job of delivering a heart-warming Christmas message about how important it is to have a loving home over Christmas – they should all be incredibly proud. Well done to each of the girls, and to Mrs Kew, on kick starting the Advent season in such an uplifting way. Thanks to all members of staff who assisted in the production, and a special thanks to Mr Andrew Severy for providing professional lighting for the first time. View the photo gallery from Tuesday morning's dress rehearsal here.