Not everyone can be Mary...
At primary schools throughout the country the nativity play is one of the major events of the school year. Despite the traditions which surround it, things have moved on considerably from the old dressing gown and frayed tea towel, charming though they were. These days you are more likely to see custom made, designer costumes, a light and sound desk and a script that bears little resemblance to the traditional story we all know and love.
Finding parts for a hundred or more children takes some imagination on the part of the director. If one is to avoid a herd of 80 sheep or a host of 50 angels it is inevitable that some more obscure characters find themselves sneaking onto the stage. The lobster in the film ‘Love Actually’ comes to mind. Proud parents have enthusiastically applauded adventurous chickens, bad tempered sheep and I recall a most memorable, walking, talking jam tart!
Although every child on the stage has an important part to play, is it possible ever to run a nativity in which everyone is equal? If so, one could avoid the dilemmas which inevitably surround the tricky decision as to who plays Mary. In any school this is still the dream role, the red carpet is there for only one – Mary.
Confident, articulate speakers and even budding actresses may be passed over for the stalwart individual who can carry out a solo without succumbing to chicken pox or tonsillitis. Perhaps even more important is that the part goes to the girl steely enough to carry the stress of such a high profile role and still be able to rejoin the lesser mortals come January when the dizzy heights of fame come to an abrupt end.
For some girls the disappointment will be the first of its kind when they hear that they have not been chosen to be ‘Her.’ On top of this they may also have to manage the disappointment of their parents whose expectations can weigh heavily on their very young shoulders. Accepting and overcoming the feeling of being overlooked and even those of jealousy towards the ‘chosen one’ is a normal emotion and a tough but important lesson which we all have to face at some point in our lives.
There may, of course, be other girls desperately hoping that they will not be chosen. Regardless of their parents’ wishes, there are some girls for whom being Mary might be their worst nightmare. Some will flatly refuse to play the part or have tell-tale tummy aches as initial rehearsals take place. However, if the casting is deftly handled every girl will have a part they can fulfil and enjoy even if it means a bit of a jolt out of their comfort zone.
Despite its potential pitfalls and hazards, with children simultaneously tired and over-excited, the Nativity play has a great deal going for it. It offers girls the opportunity to gain confidence. Often parents will comment that they hardly recognise the very self-assured girl on the stage as their timid daughter.
It also allows girls to learn to work as a team. They learn to take direction, begin to understand timing and have their first experiences of performing for an audience; lines have to be learnt and being ready for a cue requires patience and self-control. Recognising the talents and gifts of your fellow classmates is invaluable and often those who may not shine in the classroom are inspired. They may be the ones who surprise everyone with an X factor rivalling performance. When things go wrong, (which can actually be the most fun for those watching), girls are encouraged by staff to maintain poise which develops maturity in young girls.
Even Reception and Nursery children need to summon up a significant level of concentration as they sit still and follow the story. They are usually the ones at the front who we cannot ignore as we watch them watching with joy, excitement and lots of wriggling!
Teachers who have been providing this kind of entertainment for years know that the Nativity play presents an opportunity early in school for a great life experience for every girl involved, as well as a tear-jerking moment for Mums and Dads. An enormous amount of hard work goes into presenting these shows, and for the girls, emotions can run high as the big day approaches, but the biggest benefit of any Nativity play is the sheer fun it provides for the girls, staff and parents alike. Not everyone can be Mary, but there should be something for everyone.
Your comments
Whilst I understand the sentiment behind the comment above, Im afraid I don’t completely agree with the points raised in it.
Christmas is indeed a stressful time for all. Parents (with their conflicting commitments), children (where the excitement can sometimes be too much) and of course, teachers (writing reports, writing/directing school nativities, decorating classrooms, and of course, teaching) all feel the pressure, however to suggest that it is the wrong time of year for a major school event suggests to me “the point” of Christmas has been missed. Although it must stressed that nothing here is meant to sound like a Daily Mail-esque rant, Christmas is, more than any other time of year, a time of traditions. The large family meals, the festive television schedule, the Christmas tree and decorations, the sending of cards, the alka selzer and the practice of finding the one shop open that sells batteries. Surely, the school nativity is part of this tradition? Whereas it may not be the most convenient time of year for a school event I believe without it, part of the magic of Christmas, especially for young children, is lost, this being their first major event since starting school in September.
Addressing the issue of the lack of variety in the nativity play, I would suggest that to “scrap” the nativity in form of another play every year would deny the parents of the younger children starting school their opportunity to see their child performing in the traditional school nativity. Although it may be dull for some parents watching their child for the second or third time, it is the first time for some parents. For many, the school nativity is an important milestone in their children’s development, and indeed, in their own lives. I dread to think of how many miles of VHS with the immortal line “sorry, we have no room” have now been sent to landfill as parents transfer their child’s special moment to digital media, and to deny other parents that experience would not be appropriate. As for the children, as they develop, surely the roles which are asked of them become more and more complex, starting off as a twinkly star and then moving on to more prominent roles. The more a child develops, the more he or she understands not only the story, but what is being asked of them in performing in front of an audience. The nativity play is the perfect platform for this kind of development, there is indeed a role for every stage of development, and parents can also see their child moving up through the roles.
Now, to the issues of multi-culturalism. It is difficult to discuss such issues without cries of indignation from both sides of a very polarised issue. However, one must ask oneself what the nativity play is. Of course, one cannot deny it is deeply religious, however, it has also embedded itself into the culture of British society. I have been to many plays where the nativity story is just the back-bone of the play and where comedy, and even satire of current events have a role. Teachers, it must be remembered are skilled at ensuring that no child is left behind, and that the religious beliefs of all are catered for. I believe the nativity play is a tradition, and its religious significance is not what it once was, however, if we were to scrap it in favour of another play (The Jolly Christmas Postman for example) then we are forgetting that Christmas IS a religious holiday. If we were to scrap it as it is religious, then we must deny the existence of Christmas in its entirety, including The Jolly Christmas Postman, and Im not sure how many children, of any religious denomination, would not put up a fight to the denial of Father Christmas. Father Christmas is a traditional aspect, I would argue the nativity play holds the same status.
I so agree with the previous poster’s 6-year-old … I remember considerably shocking my mother by declaring that I was bored with nativity plays and why couldn’t we have a crucifixion play next year? (Not so daft for residents of Oberammergau methinks.) Seriously, I’ve always thought the Christmas story dull in comparison to the Easter one. No dramatic twist in the tale, no character development, no display of real emotions. Although all credit to JS Bach for eking it out in the Christmas Oratorio.
I don’t entirely agree with the view above, mainly because I am not sure Nativity Plays should be the highlight of the school year. Nor should Nativity Plays be the only Christmas option for a show. It also means kids do a similar play for several years in a row, rather than trying a variety. As my six year old said ‘Mum, it’s the same story every year!’ or my friend’s son ‘Mum, you wont enjoy it, you already know the story’.
The reason for the first view is that Xmas Term is a long one coming up to all the excitement of Xmas. Kids are tired and overexcited and often suffering from seasonal colds and coughs. Parents are flat out at work meeting targets and find it hard to get away as year end looms and the pressure is on.
Not the best time for a play. But this is the minor point.
The major point is that we are increasingly in a multicultural society in which Xmas only means something to some of the children. There is something very odd in seeing a sikh boy complete with turban dressed as Mary (as I have seen—-who knows what his parents felt or if they were even asked). On the one hand you can argue this shows how well integrated our society is but ask yourself how often we dramatise a Sikh or other religious play?Furthermore, there are many non-religious (or less religious) Xmas stories that can be dramatised (eg.The Jolly Xmas Postman-for the younger juniors). Or one can simply stick to a Xmas themed concert where again many non-religious Xmas songs can be sung with gusto (Santa Claus is coming to Town, I saw Mummy kissing Santa Claus, All I want for Xmas is you, White Xmas,Rocking around the Xmas Tree….to name but a few). Popular Carols can be mixed in with these too if some religious content is required.
If Nativity Plays MUST be performed,then there are some with a large number of speaking parts where people like Judas can actually steal the show. Also ways to reduce disappointment: Two casts for the main characters can be rehearsed together and split a week or so before the main performance leaving the other characters to perform twice. Thus, you might be Mary but you only perform one night instead of two. One school I know did this and the CD produced cut happily from one cast to the next so both were included. The choir and orchestra can be made very prominent and remain on stage throughout, maybe standing at either side of the stage framing it…and can also be costumed.
All in all, I’m not a fan of these plays and have seen some great alternatives (not many) but generally, I feel more effort could be put into giving more of the children a slice of the cake….and certainly avoiding picking the SAME children for the following year’s play!
There is benefit to working as a team and to accepting you can’t always be the ‘one’ but schools have many opportunities to demonstrate this throughout the year. As for parent jealousy: Get a life!
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Writing from the point of view of a nursery teacher whose school puts on a traditional nativity play each year, if parents were to be aware of the thought process that goes into casting Mary they might be less than flattered for their child to be chosen. Our Mary doesn’t have anything to say and not much more to do. We need to save the children who can remember what to say and say it at the right time in a good clear voice for the parts of Gabriel, the Inn Keeper and the Kings. The part of Mary goes to whoever is left over!