Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

Flip

Original poster

Dd age 5 to play Herod in nativity

24 replies

onedayatatime73 · 27/11/2013 23:26

She wants to know what Herod did and was he 'bad'?

She is very upset to be playing a boy for the third year in a row and now she seems concerned he was not a nice man

What do I tell her ?

OP posts:

ninah · 27/11/2013 23:28

hey my ds is Herod, he was desperate to get that part, he auditioned for it! tell her it's an important part (to be fair the only 'girl' part is Mary)

bruffin · 27/11/2013 23:50

My DS was also Herod, he shook his head a lot and looked angry
As ninah says tell her its an important part and it will be a good challenge for her to play a "bad man"

Are they doing the Herods curious, Herods Furious song?

DeWe · 28/11/2013 09:25

It's the best dramatic part usually! Tell her even angels should be male (Gabriel, Michael etc..)

columngollum · 28/11/2013 09:44

Herod the Great gets a bad press. OK, he got it wrong on the baby thing. But he was a great builder.

PastSellByDate · 28/11/2013 11:30

Hi oneday:

as many have said it is a great role and it can be fun playing the 'baddie'.

My advice would be to work out whether she doesn't want to play a boy, doesn't want to play a 'bad' boy or really just doesn't want a part.

In any case if it is really upsetting her - just tell the teacher that she's upset and that s/he should discuss it with your DD, but your more than happy for someone else to have the part.

DeWe · 28/11/2013 13:56

But also bear in mind if she doesn't want to do that part then she can't cherry pick her part. She's most likely to become chorus in some way, and may well go to be a shepherd or some other "boy" part.

LeBearPolar · 28/11/2013 14:04

I played Herod when I was at primary school. I loved it. Still a fond memory all these years later.

pusspusslet · 28/11/2013 19:11

Sounds like a good part, and the teachers obviously think she has talent, but why is she playing a boy for the third year in a row? Aren't there any girl parts? I can see why she might be developing a bit of a complex about that! Obviously you need to reassure her that she's been chosen for the role because the teachers were looking for a good actor, but still... why?

littlemslazybones · 28/11/2013 19:16

Herod stole the show last year at my son's school. He was awesome. He had his own song about being bad that he really rocked. Herod has never been so cool. It has to beat being Mary, hands down.

SatinSandals · 28/11/2013 19:26

The 'baddies' are always the best parts!

LittleMissGreen · 28/11/2013 19:32

Herod was fab at our last play too.

As an aside, could you explain Herod's actions to her, she might be a bit young but- he wasn't bad (well he was... but not entirely) he was scared. He was scared he was going to lose something that he really wanted (being king), so he lied to get himself out of trouble. (killing all the babies was obviously unjustifiable, but not sure they go into that bit in schools).

strruglingoldteach · 28/11/2013 19:35

She's five and playing a boy for the 3rd year in a row? I'm astonished that she was in a nativity at the age of 3, and still remembers what part she played!

MaddAddam · 28/11/2013 19:38

My dd2 played Herod, with some relish, aged 6.

She's still playing power-crazed dictators aged 12, she was in charge of chopping off Charles I head in a history reenactment just last week. Personality will out...

You could explain to dd that the bible doesn't have that many great roles for women and girls.

AbbyR1973 · 28/11/2013 20:16

Mother of a Herod here too!
DS is delighted. He is practising his best sinister voice and was pondering doing Herod in the style of Darth Vader on the way to school in the car this morning.
Should be entertaining next week!!

outtolunchagain · 28/11/2013 20:42

My ds was also Herrod , he had the best crown ; it had peacock feathers

LeBearPolar · 28/11/2013 21:56

Show her ?

maillotjaune · 28/11/2013 23:17

Show her Nativity. The other school
did a fantastically dark Herod Christmas play

intitgrand · 03/12/2013 13:30

Herod is a brilliant part! Tell her that professional actors always want t play the baddie, and they must have picked her because she is such a great actress

juniorcakeoff · 03/12/2013 14:06

I was Joseph twice. There were loads of boys in my class too. Must've made a better boy than any of 'em [winl]

Much more fun playing a baddie though.

juniorcakeoff · 03/12/2013 14:10

ROFL at no good strong female parts in the bible. What about Salome, Bathsheba, Sisera, Esther, Abigail....

To be fair, can only think of 2 girls in Christmas story though. Mary and Anna. Wish they would let girls be kings in our nativities,they have the best costumes.

juniorcakeoff · 03/12/2013 14:12

Oops I meant Jael as in Jael and Sisera - the nails in the head one!! (like to see that done by a school!)

LittleMissGreen · 03/12/2013 14:28

There is also Elizabeth in the story but she tends to be overlooked.
Given the time period that the Bible was written in it has some pretty good female role models/leaders.

sashh · 03/12/2013 17:39

What about Salome

Sorry you have half a kingdom on offer and you ask a man what you should ask for and end up with a head on a plate?

Re Herod.

Was he bad? Well the stuff in the Bible has no link with any actual Herod so go with Herod was king. He heard that there was a baby who would stop him being king so he had to do something if he wanted to keep being king.

Then it depends on how much detail they get at this age.

DavidHarewoodsFloozy · 03/12/2013 17:44

Brilliant! Am so jealous of all you mothers of Herod.

What a brilliant part!

My dd is a chicken (don,t fucking ask, i,ll let y,all know when i,ve seen it).

Flip