Pastorets de Mosset Pessebre Vivante...

Grumpy Angel (Arnaud) was tired after two hours on stage at Mosset's Pessebre Vivante last night. He brought Baby Jesus on, delivered him to Mary (not so much Virgin Birth as Voices Off), then had to sit listening to old people singing the nativity story (again!) for ages. The French Catalan version is set in the hilly Roussillon landscape and the Chorus of Bergers sing French and Catalan folksongs (Pastorets Alerta! & Salten i Ballen) and church carols (Joia en el Mon & Santa Nit, Silent Night) as the story unfolds. Local colour enters, in the shape of the Fisherfolk, a Sabotmaker, a bell ringing KnifeGrinder, Las Gitanas (castanets & a live chicken), the Woodsman & his rabbit, the Porcier and his pig, Les Etrangers (Dutch and Welsh in this production) and the Sardana dancers, who all bring their crafts and rustic gifts instead of the Wise Men's gold, frankincense and myrrh. At a suitable point the Devil roars in, all red lycra and black horns, poking his fork and lots of fun at the piousness of the shepherds. He is surrounded, vanquished, and then stamped into the earth with a circle dance by the little children singing Fum Fum Fum! All finished off with the Song of the Birds and a Russian carol: lovely! We then wound our way down the mountain road in the dark...