Comfort and Joy. A lively comedy. All Christmas spirit and humour. Must rate as one of the most successful productions ever put on by Haxby Players. All the cast were superb, but Goff (Ron Jevon) Margaret (Geraldine Jevon) and Martin (David Hudson). Running a chaotic household, ably assisted by their school marmish daughter Helen (Sheila Parnaby) and her odious canine, Trumpton with chronic gastric problems were terrific. The audience laughed throughout the play. The casting of parts was spot on. When Mike Harding wrote Comfort and Joy, He must have had Ron Jevon in mind. Goff was more like Ron than Ron is himself. The same can be said of Margaret, and Martin. Being set in the North, the play was particularly suitable for the cast’s northern accents. A special bouquet however to Martin with his ‘I’ve kissed the Blarney Stone’ brogue and Fiona’s ‘Bondi Beach’ Australian ( Brenda Riley). Well done everyone.

At the start of the evening, we were whisked into the Christmas mood by The Ebor Brass Band which made a welcome change from the usual canned music we have become accustomed to expect.

The play was indeed an every-day Christmas story of ordinary Yorkshire folk. I enjoyed the play so much because, and I think this also applies to most of the older generation who have lived through hard times, I could identify with the characters and the situations that arose. Oh those carol singers who couldn’t sing and were only after taking our money before moving on to the next gullible householder to open his/her door? Those Christmas visitors. Who has not suffered from them at some time? Can we not all recognise our next-door but so many doors neighbours? Chapman (Nick Hall) and Monica (Sheila Lamb). They can be my next door but so many neighbours any time. After all every street could benefit from having an Alien/Angel Watch area committee.

It was refreshing to see two newcomers to the cast. Kathy (Emma Davies) and Crispin (Lee Harris). These two made delightful Christmas visitors from the London Art World. Kathy did a good job trying to maintain the status Quo between Crispin’s Bohemian culture and her family’s bluff Northern outlook. Crispin only managed to deteriorate his position by trying to tell a joke that was incomprehensible to his hosts. A delightful debut from these two. I hope we will see more of them in future performances.

We elder Yorkshire folk have a built in instinct to be careful with our money. How many of us feel the need to buy as much as we can on the cheap? How many of us have experienced the wife’s wrath when these bargains don’t live up to expectations. So I felt a strong bond of sympathy with poor Martin, trying his best to provide for his family on the cheap, only to have his valiant efforts scorned by Margaret. Was it really Martin’s fault that the Christmas tree, so proudly acquired, shed it’s life giving needles so prematurely? We laugh at these situations, not because they are funny really but because we have lived them. We are yorkshire folk . We are laughing at ourselves.

All the above and more was packed into a hilarious two and a half hours. Just when we believed that nothing worse, or better, could happen, who should call with Martins lost keys but Pat (Brenda Sanger) and Hughie (David Ingham). Pat just happened to be Jimmy’s estranged wife. No, they never were divorced. Poor Jimmy (Robin Sanger) successfully looked bewildered and bemused by the unexpected turn of events.

In the finally we even had a visit from some potentially human kidnapping Aliens, convincingly performed by our Christmas Carol singing Brats (Henry and Samantha Hodgson). Another two performers I am sure we will see more of in the future.

I repeat. This must be one of Haxby Players best of all time productions. An excellent play well directed and performed.

Review by Sid Kirby