Living Spit are back with their gloriously irreverent version of the Christmas story, previously called The Nativity, but tweaked here and there for this post-Christmas revival. As with their history spoofs, such as Adolf And Winston and Elizabeth I: Virgin On The Ridiculous, Howard Coggins and Stu Mcloughlin have not changed the main events of the story, but they have taken outrageously anachronistic liberties in their portrayal of the main characters. For example, we encounter those familiar wise men from the East bringing three gifts, but their Sloane Square mannerisms indicate that they surely bought them in Kensington, ok yah? We discover that God is rather disappointed by the humble circumstances of his son’s birth, until the Angel Gabriel, weirdly possessed of modern management-speak, explains that the presence of upper-class wise men and working-class shepherds opens up the chance of ‘omni-channel marketing’. Living Spit are also very clever at mining the comic possibilities presented by the inescapable fact that there are only two of them. We therefore meet only two of the wise men, because Balthazar is having trouble parking the Peugeot.
There is music too, for the show features a number of well-known carols, accompanied by banjo or ukulele. As you might expect, the lyrics have been mightily altered, and are often very naughty indeed. But Coggins and Mcloughlin are warmly engaging performers, so though their comedy is fearless, it never seems unkind. This show certainly mocks the saccharine gloss that has often been put on the original Bible story, but only those with overly pious sensibilities will fail to find it very funny indeed. A comic highlight is Coggins’ portrayal of Mary puffing, blowing and bellowing as she gives birth, all accompanied by Mcloughlin’s Joseph singing a version of ‘Away In A Manger’. You don’t get that on Call The Midwife.
StageTalk has reviewed this show in the past, and our normal practice would not have been to visit it again. But live theatre has been through a truly dreadful couple of years, and shows like this need all the supportive publicity they can get. If live theatre is to get back on its feet it needs live audiences. Last night at The Ustinov was very far from sold out. There’s another performance tonight, and then The Late-ivity will next appear at Bristol’s Wardrobe Theatre on January 18th to the 29th. Get to see it if you can, for where else would you have the chance to participate in Herod’s Massacre of the Innocents? Great fun!
★★★★☆ Mike Whitton 11th January 2022
