Miss Annersely looked up as Joey entered the room. "Oh good" she said "have you the revised nativity script ready? The girls are very anxious to start rehearsals".
"Yes" said Joey, looking slightly shifty "I've written in all those extra parts you asked for".
Miss Annersley flicked through the script. "Villagers, including Mary's best friend and Joseph's brother in law, gather silently at the back of the stage as Mary and Joseph ride past on their donkey" she read.
"Yes" said Joey, flushing slightly "it sounds rather good, doesn't it? It will really flesh out that scene".
"But Joey" said Miss Annersley, "How will anyone even know that Nell and Cheddar are playing the best friend and brother in law? They don't say or do anything. "
"Oh, don't worry" said Joey brightly "It will say on the programme that they are playing those parts".
"Hmm" said Miss Annersley "now what about the extra angels" and she flicked on a few pages.
"Angels 3,4,5,and 6 stand in the shadows at the back of the stage dressed in black as Angels 1 and 2 sing 'Hark the Herald Angels Sing' " she read slowly "at the final word their voices lift from the darkness to join in".
"So" she said "they'll be standing where no one can see them"?
"Yes" said Joey brightly
"And they won't be wearing Angel costumes"?
"No" said Joey more brightly
"And they'll only being singing one single word of the carol"?
"Yes" said Joey, her brightness reaching tones of desperation.
"I see" said Miss Annersley who obviously was beginning to see, quite clearly.
She flicked forward a few pages to the shepherds' first scene. "The shepherds are seen tending their flock" she read, "the sheep gather around, including Sean the Sheep who is thinking naughty thoughts".
"So, he's thinking naughty thoughts".
"Yes".
"He doesn't actually do anything naughty?"
"Well, no, not exactly".
"Yes, I see".
Miss Annersley flicked forward a few more pages. "Now, where's the dancing star? EmilyAlice really is a most talented dancer and.......
'The 3 wise men look off stage and say, "Oh see a dancing star. We must travel to Bethlehem where a child has been born" '
"EmilyAlice doesn't appear on stage"?
"Eh, no".
"Or do any actual dancing?"
"Well, you see..."
"Joey" Miss Annersley exploded slamming the script onto her desk "You know quite well that's not what I meant when I asked you to include extra parts. The parents want to see their children perform on the stage. This new script is absolute rubbish. And while I'm on the subject, what year is this Joey?"
"Gosh" said Joey, "well it's 1952 isn't it?"
"Yes" said Miss Annersley "and what year did Robin leave this school Joey?"
"Well" Joey's eyes slid furtively towards the window, where the gardener was raking up leaves in the darkening afternoon, "well, it must have been... sometime during the war wasn't it.... so.... just a very short while ago".
"She left" said Miss Annersley icily "eight years ago. She's nearly 27 and has no business still appearing in the school nativity play".
"Oh but once a Chalet girl" wailed Joey in dismay.
"That's as may be Joey, but the parents of current pupils want to see their daughters on stage, not women of almost 30 who have long left the school. I'm taking the part from her and Joey, if I don't see a proper revised script on my desk by lunchtime on Friday I shall write a new script myself and re-cast the entire play".
"Yes Miss Annersley" said Joey sulkily and left the room. Two minutes later the front door banged angrily.
Hilda sighed, took up her pen and began to dream of St Trinian's.