18th December - The Live Nativity!

Sunday saw Wokingham gathering in the Market Place at 3pm to see donkeys (supplied by JAC) and make some crafts amoung other activities before processing on mass to Howard Palmer Gardens for the Live Nativity.

Howard Palmer Gardens saw almost 500 people young and old enjoy a performance of the Nativity story.

BottleTop is a community of people from all backgrounds and ages. They are passionate about telling stories and building relationships. Since September they've worked with around 100 members of the local community to make this event possible, from churches, schools, choirs, shops, the Salvation Army and craft groups. So many people have worked tirelessly to make today possible and for them to be able to tell what we believe is most exciting, inspiring and hope filled story ever told.  

With a story influenced through an exploration of the senses it was fitting that Bottletop brought Kim an adept of British Sign Language on to sign the whole performance.

Click the photo for the full album. 



Tonight we will be at the Hope & Anchor for a performance by a 7 piece Ukulele band, The Mighty Lemons.

20th December - Live Nativity at Wokingham Theatre

Always a highlight in the season, the 20^th saw the return of the Live Nativity this year produced and performed by Wokingham Theatre. 

The 25 minute performance saw us experience a mostly traditional nativity story set with a 50’s twist. We met a jealous King Herod, his lovely wife (not in the original story but a wonderful balance) and he was indeed “the King”. We followed a star, learnt about the Magi (and met their very musical wives), encountered an angel and witnessed the holy birth along with some sharply dressed shepherds. But see for yourself in this trimmed version of the performance.  

Many thanks to Wokingham Theatre and in particular the cast and crew who put this on. It was a sell-out even with an extra performance added.

17th December - Platform YP at Electric Tattoo

We were outside the Electric Tattoo Company just off Broad Street last night for another fabulous Wokingham Living Advent Calendar performance.  Or rather I should now say Wokingham Laser Clinic as Electric Tattoo have just moved to bigger premises.

We were entertained by Platform YP a young theatre school in Wokingham whose students range from 4 – 18 years old and who performed a selection of musical hits. 

Tonight we will be at Maison Rustic on Bush Walk for the Arborfield Military Wives Choir.

Don’t forget this final weekend before Christmas we have some great performances starting at 4pm. Saturday we are at Kaanaanmaa on Denmark Street. 

Also on Saturday Wokingham Living Advent Calendar will be supporting a special performance at 5pm after our main performance. At Code Boutique on Peach Street Gillie Tunley and a number of past members of Cloudglider will be singing a selection of songs with probably a few festive tunes in the mix celebrating the life of Elisa Ghoebriel, creator of Cloudglider, vocal coach and amazingly supportive musician, who sadly passed away this year.  Elisa along with Cloudglider members and associated acts were featured in past Living Advent Calendars and they were always here to support us. 

On Sunday it’s the Live Nativity at Wokingham Theatre, however if you not yet booked your seat you won’t be able to. The 3 performances have officially “sold” out with all seats taken.

21st December - Live Nativity in Howard Palmer Gardens

Sunday night was the Live Nativity.  Local theatre community Bottletop took up the task of presenting their own spin on the traditional Christmas story but they didn't stop just there. 

From 3pm the audience arrived in the Market Place to enjoy a mini festival, with fun crafty stalls like santa beard making, seasonal refreshments and musical entertainment by local acts.

Just before 4pm the audience was led by a donkey to Howard Palmer Gardens for the main performance. The Wokingham Christian Community came together to present this telling of the Nativity story with actors sourced from a number of churches across the area.  

There was a fabulous atmosphere in the park that day with around 600 people of all ages enjoying the performance.

Please enjoy this small selection of photographs from the performance.

There is also an excellent article on the event from Get Wokingham.