If you want a good party then be sure to visit the Phoenix Theatre, at least that’s my advice after an evening at ‘Christmas with the Phoenix Theatre Singers’ last week.

This was no Christmas oratorio, welcome as they are at this time of year, but simply an hour or so of music, jokes and good unadulterated seasonal fun. The versatility of individual members was on display in humorous sketches and monologues; we had Suzanne Hill’s ‘The Nativity’, a Joyce Grenfell classic complete with the sorrowful, condescending, ‘Don’t do that George!’ and similar fare from Elaine Tomlins in Pam Ayre’s satirical poem ‘Goodwell to men – give us your money!!’

The comedy fun kept coming with a delightfully dotty celebrity chef (Claire Price) offering us a recipe for Whisky Cake, while Gordon Brigg and Richard Watson re-imagined the Battle of Trafalgar fought under the restrictions of EU legislation, the Common Fisheries policy and Health and Safety Regulations.

The singing covered all the bases; from full choral renditions of ‘A Ragtime Carol’ through ‘White Christmas’ and ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ to the traditional spiritual, ‘The Virgin Mary had a Baby Boy.’ There were other unexpected gems. ‘Bethlehem’ from the show Martin Guerre; Jacky Bedford’s ‘Thorns in the Straw’, and the beautiful ‘Do you hear what I hear’ sung by the full company.

But no Christmas would be complete without a traditional panto and members of the company succeeded brilliantly with a deadpan, fully costumed ‘Cinderella’.

Good fun, good humour, in fact a good time was had by all if the final ovation had anything to say about it.

Congratulations to Musical Director Mary Brigg; I’m already putting next years show dates in my diary.

Brian Jackson