christmas comedy

After a month of preparations, my 8-year-old nephew Connery orchestrated one of the most entertaining Christmas plays of all time.

Connery had taken care of everything from the script and props to the toilet paper roll microphone attached to the cereal box speaker on the wall. I mean, he thought of everything. Original jokes and piano arrangements of Christmas carols during costume changes. Roles and lines for four actors (including Maia, a last minute addition who he worked in nicely). A beautiful recitation of the Christmas story from memory. Living room furniture arranged for a captive audience. He's quite the little producer for his mere eight years.

The only elements out of his control: two sisters and a cousin named Maia.




The five-minute-play-turned-twenty ensued with more humour than any of us could have anticipated. Imagine a well-organized boy telling three giggly girls (including two 3-year-olds) where to go, what to put on and what to say next. Here are a few of my favourite moments, recorded as best as I can remember.

Connery: Then Mary laid down to have her baby. Ireland, lay down!
Ireland: I don't want to do that part!



Connery: Then the angel... [interrupted]
Ireland: [loudly from backstage] Connery! I'm not ready yet! Tell some jokes!
Connery: [in a loud whisper] I don't have any jokes left!
Ireland: THEN SING SOME SONGS!




At one point, Reese quietly adorned herself with an outrageous wig and centred herself on the stage, without a word, and then proceeded to stand there for the remainder of the play. Not a word. In the middle of the stage. Action all around. Reese is perhaps the biggest ham of them all. I predict this girly is going to have a dry and gut-wrenching sense of humour like her dad.




Connery: Then the shepherds came with their sheep to the stable to worship the baby.
Maia: [Enters stage right in a lamb costume, crying.]
Tim: Maia, what's wrong?
Maia: [Through her tears] I wanted to be a kangaROO!



And there you have it. A little Christmas comedy with my nephew, my nieces and my grouchy little lamb.

And here's a favourite photo of one who hasn't figured out how to be grouchy yet. (No, that would not be me. That would be Eliana at 7.5 months old.)



Happy New Year, everyone!