Advent Calendar 2021 Day 3: Play School, Christmas Day 1985

Taken from one of the show's repeat runs can't tell you when, where or how because Genome or whatever it's called now refuses to admit they happened, a soldier dancing in CSO welcomes us, as if a Christmas miracle. We're gathering at Wayne Jackman's studio house this year, with its rabbits, toy shelves and installed Jonathan Cohen at the piano. Jackman as one Dr Wacky followed by unnecessary glove puppet Bingo could well be overbearing but the charm quickly reasserts itself - apart from the bit featuring a golliwog in a Victorian bedroom illustration - especially when Carol Chell, Iain Lauchlan with his guitar and an actual donkey arrive to ground the show back in traditional means by telling the nativity story in differing ways. Then everyone has a game of Squeak Piggy Squeak, which isn't as dubious as it sounds despite the only necessary tool being a blindfold so STOP THAT, before everyone gathers for carols round the piano.