Lights, Camel, Action 2! and I’m Gonna Shine! from Out of the Ark Music

Two new musical nativity productions for your school's Christmas celebrations...

At a glance

• Two gift-wrapped nativities perfect for primary schools
• A ritzy nativity based on a dance competition
• A star-studded nativity that outshines all the rest
• Catchy and memorable songs sung by a children’s choir
• Cracking scripts full of fun

It’s a good job Christmas is just once a year because I don’t think many teachers would be able to cope with the hysteria, especially when it’s your turn to do the Christmas production.

Out of the Ark Music comes to the rescue with two new musical productions tailor-made for festive fun and frivolities.

For ages 5-11 is Lights, Camel, Action 2! The Sequin, a flashy and ritzy nativity with a heavy dose of ‘Strictly’. The show is played out much like it does on TV, with contestants dancing to a box full of styles, from gospel to conga, and judges giving their witty and caustic feedback and scores.

With 20 speaking parts, 16 essential non-speaking parts and a running time of around 40 minutes, this is a nativity with passion, attitude and sacks of fun.

With more razzle dazzle than you can shake a stick of Blackpool rock at, this pure song and dance nativity is high-energy and fab-u-lous. This nativity also comes with a short compilation video of the dance moves.

For ages 5-9 you could opt for I’m Gonna Shine! and take a trip to heaven to meet top star Gloria before heading down to Earth to the Oasis Retail Park where you can buy state-of-the-art camels with turbo spit and spare humps.

This nativity celebrates the VIP-est of all VIPs in a production packed with comedy, taking in King Herod’s Palace, a trip to Bethlehem and a tumbledown stable.

I’m Gonna Shine! reimagines the Christmas story and expands the characters but retains the core narrative, turning it into a fresh and modernised nativity performance.

It is 50 minutes of pure joy and with 59 speaking parts, there’s plenty for everyone to be a star.

Both resources come with a quality Teacher’s Book with staging directions, suggestions for staging and props, cross-curricular ideas, costume ideas, percussion suggestions, music score and song lyrics.

Also included in the £39.95 price is an Audio CD containing high-quality backing and vocal tracks, and Words on Screen CD ROM.

These new nativities are life-savers and will ensure you are not tying yourself up in knots about performing the same old worn out production that folks have seen for the last decade.

They are what Christmas is all about and the icing on top of the Christmas cake. The whole school community will love them.

Verdict

• Two show-stoppers with ‘standing ovations’ written all over them
• Nativities that think outside the stable and tap into modern thinking and culture
• Productions with creative confidence
• Packed with support, suggestions and ideas for an entertaining, festive production

Upgrade if…

You are looking to spruce up and add sparkle to your festive offering. These are nativities with a modern twist to wow and celebrate the most wonderful time of the year.

Reviewed by John Dabell