Proof devices not necessary for having good Christmas

LAST evening I attended the final dress rehearsal of Taieri Dramatic Society’s final production for their 70th anniversary year, a children’s Christmas entertainment entitled Christmas Is A Time.

The hour and aquarter show is written and directed by Rosemary Chalmers with artistic direction by Brian McCormack.

When Grandma (Alison Ayers) is landed with babysitting her 12 grandchildren, she determines to get them off their devices and show them the magic of Christmas. With no WiFi or devices, and bad weather preventing the Christmas shopping they had hoped for, the children prepare a concert of song, dance and poetry for their Grandmother and her elderly neighbour Mrs Scroggins (Tabitha Littlejohn).

They find a dressup box (costuming Ama Veltman and Judy Spillane) and a cavalcade of 25 short songs, poems and Christmas music, is presented with confidence in a great display of youthful vocal and acting talent. Welljudged backing track volume allowed for exceptional clarity of every word.

Among the highlights were the full cast in My WiFi’s Been Turned Off, Christmas is a Time to Love and Reindeer Boogie choreography (Cadyne Geary).

Jasmine Rixon was a ‘‘leader’’ among her cousins, and Halaina and Hermione Sparks (youngest in the cast) won the cuteness prize with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star .

A favourite was The Possum (Hannah McCleery) — it got stuck up a Christmas tree! — I didn’t know you get Tinselitis from eating Christmas decorations.

Chicane Woodward’s I Saw Mummy Kissing Santa Claus and Erika Reid’s poem Cookies for Santa were standouts.

Santa arrived at last (do his reindeer really have GPS?), a happy Christmas atmosphere retained throughout.

This children’s production is on at 2pm today and continues for three more afternoon showings at the Fire Station Theatre Mosgiel.