Hugely enjoyable Christmas comedy at Coventry theatre

THE Wheatsheaf Players presented a sort of secular nine lessons and carols – with ‘Carol Service’ (Anne Collins) as the patronising host of a Wheatsheaf ‘Songs of Praise’, a marvellous take-off of Julie Walters.

The songs were the usual suspects sung by the company interspersed with short comedy poems – some real crackers - delivered by the younger members of the crew. There were also some wonderfully original and incredibly creative parodies of well-known television shows.

There were Mary and Joseph in the Big Brother house, Judge Judy on the dispute between the True Love of ‘Partridge in a Pear Tree’ fame sending out the list of unlikely gifts to his lady that she neither wanted nor could house. (As a sketch this needed a bit of extra polish but I think they were improvising – incredibly hard.)

There was an X-Factor parody based around rapping (wrapping) that was really clever and a Lord Santa ‘You’re Fired’ apprentice show picking his new elves – but star by far was the Ant and Dec In the Jungle sketch where two young ladies (Sophie and Katie), after facing the bugs and body parts, had to face the ultimate in Christmas horrors – the humble Brussels Sprout!

All in all, this was hugely enjoyable with a chance to start the Christmas spirit in the company of friends and family. I always enjoy the atmosphere of warmth at the Wheatsheaf - and adding in Christmas was all I needed to have a really great time. Even better was a gratis mince pie, mulled wine and the fact that I won the raffle. Thanks – it was great.

Jane Howard