Around 400 people watched the latest play produced and performed by St James Players, which is made up of members and friends of St James Church, Taunton. The production also raised £1682 for charity. The money was shared between the Taunton Food Bank and ACT (Uganda) a charity working directly with children with disabilities in Uganda.
The St James Players were formed in 2008 to bring together a group of people of faith with an interest in fun, fellowship and fundraising. Over the past 14 years they have worked together to produce six biennial pantomimes, three murder mysteries, a passion play, and four online presentations during Covid.
The latest production was entitled “Stable Manners – not a Nativity play” One of the team, Jenny Wakefield, shared this review.
Never Knowingly Over-rehearsed
"St James Players sought to banish the January blues with Stable Manners – a musical comedy written and directed by Chris Doyle, local artist, and children’s author. The show took a sideways look at the events of the Christmas and Epiphany story of Jesus’ birth from the point of view of ordinary people in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago , some of who were there and some were probably not. As for previous productions, St James Church turned itself into a theatre for the evening, with raised staging to enable good visibility. (Grateful thanks to St Michael’s Galmington for the loan of their staging blocks). Thanks are due to so many people who made this possible, not least the Vicar who made a cameo appearance as the Bethlehem Camel Control Traffic Warden.
Approximately 400 people came to see the show over the three nights it was on and the feedback was positive, to quote three:
“What an enjoyable evening we had of it on Sunday! The best “amateur” production we have ever seen. Congratulations to Chris for his creativity with the script, the direction and the humour which all worked together to produce a cohesive and very entertaining play…. A very talented all singing and all dancing cast and a great opportunity for your talented youngsters to develop their natural skills. And last but not least well done, with the choreography - so professional! (Jacqui)”
We came to see it last night and it was spectacular and Very Professional! So much so that if it was on at the Brewhouse we wouldn't mind seeing it there! My daughter loved the sheep and the songs too”( M&S)
“Well done! What an amazing production from beginning to end. My brother and daughter didn’t stop talking about it all the way home”. (L)
The Director cast and crew are very grateful to the lovely and very generous audiences. £1682 was raised which will be shared between Taunton Food Bank and ACT (Uganda) – the latter a charity working directly with children with disabilities in Uganda."
Photos of the production can be viewed on the St James' Church website.