Since 1986, Bollington Festival Music Theatre has done children’s drama and music a bit differently. Sometimes it’s a folk tale from Britain or other cultures, but with a twist. Sometimes it’s based on a true story from the past, often here in Bollington, with fanciful embellishments and local references. Sometimes a modern story raising various issues in a child friendly way. And some, like this one, set in Czechia, a central European country with as long a history and as rich a culture as our own.
A country and culture Donald Judge, director of the Music Theatre, knows well after over twenty years of visiting. So imagine with Donald, a family from Bollington. Two children, brother and sister. Work calls them abroad. They soon settle into an English-speaking school and make friends who are bilingual, who tell them what they should do to enjoy Christmas properly.
First, they must encounter and satisfy the Lucia Witches, fearsome creatures, half girl, half bird, who descend on December 13 to check the house is spick and span, no one’s going to work or school, riding a bike, playing out, or riding a bike. And that Kofola and Kolache (Czech Cola and Cakes) for them. Next, in a country where Santa is almost unknown, they must write to Baby Jesus for presents. He will bring them while they eat Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve. And that must be Kapr (Carp) a large fish that should be bought from a stall in the street, kept in the bath until the day to be as fresh as possible… But can they bring themselves to kill and eat it? Then their new friends invite them to be in parades. A parade round town of all the familiar characters and animals from the Nativity story, led by a spectacular star with a comet’s tail. And to close Christmas, a parade of The Three Kings, often on horseback, or even camel back, collecting for charity and chalking their initials K + M + B 2024 on their door to bring a year of good luck.
A lot of catchy Czech folk songs and carols will find their way into the show, some you might even know. But don’t worry, the script and most songs are in English, and some scenes will have no words at all, apart from adult members of Bollington Festival Choir singing from the balcony extracts from an 18th century folk mass, while the young cast mime the action on stage. A visual and aural treat for our audience.
The performance is expected to last a maximum of an hour.
Thanks to the generosity of Bollington Arts Centre, admission is free but donations will be welcome by cash or bank transfer, with details on the day. While audience can turn up on the door, those coming are asked to email bfmt@bollingtonartscentre.co.uk with numbers so that seats can be allocated alongside those for the cast’s family.
The images show former members of the Music Theatre in the last Festival show, Buccaneers of the Bollin, in 2019: a Czech Live Nativity from Christmas 2024: a Czech Three King’s Parade in January 2023: a Czech Christmas Comet.
Photo credits all Donald Judge. Lucia Witch image was drawn by BFMT member Caitlin for the show all about them in 2021.
