Christmas with the Aliens

Nikki Lewis

Rating:

This is a nativity musical in which the traditional Christmas story is told to some aliens who find themselves stranded on earth when their spaceship breaks down.

The aliens meet some children who invite them to watch the rehearsal for their school play. As the Christmas story unfolds, the aliens make humorous comments, but come to the conclusion that this is a story the whole universe should hear.

The CD features eight songs sung by a children’s choir, and also backing tracks. The songs are very catchy, most of them in a swing style, but I feel they would be quite challenging for most KS1 children, and might be better suited musically for lower KS2.

The script is quite simple – most characters have only one line at a time to say – and is correctly aimed at KS1. The book provides helpful notes on the songs, performance tips, piano music, lyrics and script.

Although this is a lively musical, I have reservations about combining aliens with the nativity characters, knowing how fertile young children’s imaginations can be. I suspect many of them, for whom the Christmas story is not well-known, will end up with a rather confused picture. Also, there is no clear reference to the purpose of Jesus’ birth, other than that he is King and lights up the world.

Reviewer: Marian Smith, Class Teacher and Subject Leader for RE and Music, Elmgrove First School, Harrow, Middlesex

Review posted on: 23 October 2009

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