Last night we went to see “The Nativity.” I recommend the movie for several reasons, the first of which is the moving story of Christmas. Of course I am partial to this story because of my belief system. Aside from the religious aspects of the movie, there are some more “theatrical” reasons to see the film. The first is the great example of how in good theatre (yes I know this is a film, but it’s the same principal) we work hard to create nice “stage pictures” These are moments in a show when the objects, actors, etc are placed in such a position that the themes, mood, and overall “feel’ of the show are captured in a moment through an awesome visual representation – it is the stage picture that tells the story at that point. This is one of my favorite theatrical tools to use and to see. This movie is made for great stage pictures. The second theatrical convention used is the music. They were able to take many old Christmas hymns and other songs and subtly allow them to underscore certain scenes to really drive the theme home. After years of hearing the story of Christ’s birth, one aspect of the story that I had never thought about was the role of the donkey. This was not necessarily emphasized too much in the movie, but one thing I realized is that after the long, tiring, difficult journey, it was the donkey that was truly reward upon their arrival to the manger. After all, it was a barn where they ended up. To the donkey, this must have been like staying in the Ritz Carlton! Anyway, if you get a chance to see the film – let me know what you think.
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