Wintershall Nativity Play 2009

The Wintershall estate runs an organic farm in the beautiful Surrey countryside and it is only a few miles outside Guildford. I was actually unaware that there were plays here but was invited by a couple of friends to go with them and their children. It was absolutely stunning when we arrived as it is in a really rural position and we parked in a snow covered field and walked up a steep snowy path to the top fields/barn area.

The Nativity Plays occur for just a few days in December and it is a very professional production, the lighting, acting, singing and setting are fantastic. To see more about it have a look at the website here.

On the downside it was really, really cold but we all came prepared with multiple layers, warm coats, scarfs and gloves. The production starts outside with Joseph leading Mary on a donkey across the field and seeking a room at the inn (the back of the barn!). Then there were shepherds in the fields standing around bonfires when the angel appears to them and they follow the star to the barn (and we follow them inside to defrost a bit!). The choir and soloists were brilliant and although I was sat at the very back the play was clear and visually stunning, The children sat at the front and the actors really engaged them in the different scenes, they were very impressed that there was a 'real' baby playing the role of Jesus!

It really got us into the real spirit of Christmas and I would recommend it, although I think children probably need to be about age 6 or above to really appreciate/enjoy it.

The real fun started when we tried to get out the carpark, as I said earlier the car park was a field and it was a sloping field. There were numerous cars, the ground was getting slippery, we witnessed a few skids and an accident and half an hour later we had hardly moved! They were only allowing one car at a time down the steep slope to the gravel track at the bottom, it was a bit nerve wracking but after a long wait we finally made it out of the estate and onto proper gritted roads!! What an adventure!