"Mrs Horrocks's class of 8 year olds is about to perform their first nativity play at Flint Street Junior School for all their proud mums and dads... and the occasional social worker. Squabbles arise when Gabriel wants to play Mary, the Star grumbles that he is not a proper star like they have at NASA. Herod won't stop waving at his mum and dad and the subversive Innkeeper is determined to liven up the traditional script. And then somebody lets out Peter Crouch!

The Flint Street Nativity is a wonderfully festive black comedy that reminds us all of how it felt to be a happy little 8 year old. When knowing your words is the most important thing in the whole wide world, and being bestest friends forever actually only lasts for 20 minutes and that making mum and dad proud will get you awesome Christmas presents. Throw in a little prejudice, bullying and social politics, The Flint Street Nativity shines an all too comically accurate light on just what a vipers nest junior school can be. Think less a cute, end-of-term entertainment than a kindergarten version of the Godfather, complete with seething vendettas, emotional blackmail and severed heads."

Written by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls).