Liverpool Nativity tomorrow

Liverpool Nativity is coming to town tomorrow and I'm very excited about it. Despite what some paper columnists have said, it's going to be an authentic contemporary telling of the nativity story. The scale of it is impressive, with 500 people involved in cast and crew. Some of the cast are big names, while others are inspired choices. Jodie McNee and Kenny Thompson will be excellent as Mary and Joseph; Geoffrey Hughes as Gabriel seems to be just the right choice, even though quite a few others were approached to play the part before him.

But what concerns me here is how effective it will be as a piece of Christian communication. I believe it will hit all the right notes. It is faithful to the Bible accounts, retaining the miraculous, virginal conception and all the major characters. The magi appear at the stable with the shepherds, which isn't how it happened, but that has been artistic licence since Francis of Assisi.

The fact the the BBC have put time, effort and most of all money into this project is to be commended: well done BBC for not just giving us tales of snow and Santa. This Nativity is one to watch, to record and to savour.