NATIVITY!

UK, 2009, 106 minutes, Colour.
Martin Freeman, Marc Wootton, Ashley Jensen, Pam Ferris, Alan Carr, Jason Watkins, Ricky Tomlinson.
Directed by Debbie Isitt.

Who would have thought that a British film about putting on a Christmas Nativity Play could be described as 'a Catholic movie'! And, from the British point of view, it offers two social surprises: when some local councils are banning explicitly Christian Christmas decorations as potentially offensive to members of other religions (many of whom reply that they are shocked that any Christians would be ashamed to present emblems of its belief), it is a pleasure to watch the city of Coventry playing host to a school's play in the ruins of the Cathedral; and, when may complain that the BBC are anti-Christian, the corporation has produced and financed Nativity!

Writer-director, Debbie Isitt, likes creating situations and improvisation. She did it with wedding preparations in Confetti. Now she goes off to Coventry with actors Martin Freeman and Marc Wooton and sends them as teacher and teacher's assistant into a Catholic primary school, to a particular class, where they have the Principal's command to put on the annual Nativity play. It is a mixture of niceness, mayhem, children's talents, parents' concerns.

And it is more than that because Martin Freeman plays Mr Maddens, a performer who became a teacher and whose friend, Gordon Shakespeare (Jason Watkins), now rival, teaches at the private school nearby and has great success each year with his pageant-play, and whose girlfriend, Jenny (Ashley Jensen), went to Hollywood and left him to become a producer. And, it is more than that as well, because the Principal (Pam Ferris) has imposed her exuberantly simple nephew, Mr Poppy (Mark Wooton), on Mr Maddens (who is a rather morose presence to his students, still pining for his girlfriend) and who, in real life, might frighten teachers and parents with his bouncing into every class activity, in the school yard and in the class room, and seems to have boundless energy which is now finding a project into which it can all be channelled (with everyone saying, 'phew'!)..

And it is more than that too. In a moment of pique with his rival, Mr Maddens says that his girlfriend is coming to his Nativity play with some Hollywood executives. This means even more mayhem as Mr Poppy quickly spills the beans, the Principal is delighted, the parents ambitious and the media make a feast of it. Even the mayor (Ricky Tomlinson) offers the ruins of Coventry cathedral as the venue for the play.

There are auditions, rehearsals, children upset, children wanting particular parts, more rehearsals – and the continuing embarrassment about the anticipated Hollywood visit.

You know all will be well at the end – but how will this all happen? Both credibly and incredibly without too much dependence on Hollywood, despite Mr Maddens and two of the children flying there to see Jenny.

The play itself defies all credible belief, of course, because it is large scale and spectacular, beyond the means of the school and, maybe, of the city – but within the movie's budget.

It is a kind of primary school rock opera, a children's perspective on the Gospel story – though, with all the TV talent shows and competitions these days, we live in a world where young children expect and are expected to perform routines that are better suited to adults. That said, it is a lively show which children will probably enjoy, perhaps the parents, but maybe not all the teachers who know what actually happens behind the scenes.

In keeping with the explicitly Catholic tone of the school and the film, a clear version of Silent Nights is sung during the final credits.

1.Entertaining? British? Christian? Traditional? The Catholic perspective?

2.Aspects of fantasy and pantomime with realism?

3.The British Christmas tradition, celebrations, street decorations, the school play, the pageant? Changing with multicultural England? An assertion of the Christian tradition? Audiences and knowledge of the Gospels, of the story of Jesus in Bethlehem? The response of people with no religion, other religions?

4.The setting, Paul, Gordon and Jenny and their performances, song-and-dance routines? Breaking up? Their personalities, their friendship, their hopes? Paul and his going to teaching? Jenny to Hollywood to be a producer? Gordon going to the private school?

5.The film as Paul’s story: his age and experience, the theatre, going into teaching, his being miserable, at St Bernadette’s, his class and way of teaching, dry, his imposing discipline, lacking enthusiasm, pining for Jenny? His initial play and the bad reviews from the local critic? The details of his classroom?

6.The contrast with Gordon, success at the private school, posh, the plays, the favourable reviews, the students? His putting on the Herod play – and the satire? His performance, vanity? Discussions with Paul, especially about Hollywood? His motivations for the Herod play? His publicly denouncing Paul – his comeuppance? But, because it is a nice film, his change of heart?

7.The principal, her role in the school, the poor school, Catholic, her expectations, wanting the play to be a success, at the assembly, the students and teachers, Paul and his being told to put on the play, his protest, her overriding him? Her inviting Mr Poppy – and her being his aunt?

8.Paul’s life, alone, pet, Mr Poppy intruding into his life and the effect? Paul not wanting him in the classroom, the consequent mayhem, his being with the children, popularity, their votes against Paul? The discussions?

9.Mr Poppy, oafish, large, bouncy and joyful, bursting into the classroom, with the children, all the activities, the games, fooling around, the votes for him, the clashes with Paul, his overhearing the Hollywood news?

10.His reaction, telling everyone, the principal, the media interviews, Paul seeing it on television, the reaction of the parents at the meeting? Contracts and fees?

11.The comedy of the auditions, the range of talent, lack of talent, the acts, the rehearsals?

12.The children, small, the little boy, the African boy, the boys and girls, wanting particular roles, their self-confidence, losing self-confidence, talent?

13.The teacher, her working with Mr Poppy, the truth, urging Paul to make the phone calls to Jenny, Mr Poppy and his details of the messages? Jenny not replying? Paul’s decision to go to Los Angeles, taking the children?

14.The atmosphere of Los Angeles, the walking along the beach? Studios, the guard, getting in, reception, Jenny seeing them, the discovery that she was a secretary, her boss, her asking permission to go, failing?

15.The Coventry mayor, interviews with the press, his enthusiasm, his attraction towards the principal, offering the cathedral for putting on the play?

16.The children, their response, coming alive, the various outings, the animals, the experiences, with Mr Poppy?

17.The sense of failure, the expose about Hollywood? The decision to put on the play? The principal and her wariness?

18.The performance, the fantasy, the spectacle, the cathedral, the stunts and the wires, the parent audience, the critic and his eating, enjoying it, the principal and he speech, the mayor? Gordon and the denunciation and his change of heart?

19.The Hollywood, Jenny and the boss, joining in the singing?

20.The happy ending, everybody satisfied – and the singing of Silent Night during the credits?

21.All the Christmas songs, the special songs composed for the pageant, a Rock Nativity?