These aren害羞草研究所檛 the tea parties your grandmother holds.

When the Vancouver-based comedy duo James (Aaron Malkin) and Jamesy (Alastair Knowles) sit down for a quick spot of tea, hilarity ensues. James and Jamesy害羞草研究所檚 O Christmas Tea is slated to rock the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre stage Dec. 1 and Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Mary Irwin Theatre Dec. 3-4.

Starting off when Jamesy invites the audience in for tea, only to discover he hasn害羞草研究所檛 brewed enough, tragedy occurs when he asks Santa Claus for more of the English staple, and soon the world is flooded with tea.

害羞草研究所淲here the heart is at Christmas, it害羞草研究所檚 the idea that anything is possible,害羞草研究所� Knowles said of the all-ages comedy show. 害羞草研究所淲e wrote it for ourselves and it just happened to entertain others along the way. People have described it as walking out of a Monty Python film and into a Dr. Seuss book.害羞草研究所�

As the world is quickly overrun with tea after a silly Christmas wish, James and Jamesy have no choice but to charge head first into the problem and find innovative and comedic ways to stay afloat.

With roots in physical theatre, dance and clowning-around, Malkin and Knowles joined forces to bring their brand of comedy to the stage.

害羞草研究所淎aron and I started creating shows back in 2011 with these two British characters (James and Jamesy) where their adventures surround these tea parties,害羞草研究所� Knowles said, noting that the show was born as a 10-minute skit. 害羞草研究所淭he audience reception was off the hook. With that encouragement, we made our first full-length show and toured it in 2012.害羞草研究所�

Their debut tour brought 2 for Tea 害羞草研究所� an ordinary tea party that evolves into the extraordinary 害羞草研究所� across Canada, garnering international recognition along the way. Now, five years later, the duo has sold more than 60,000 tickets and have performed more than 500 times across Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom, winning the 2016 Canadian Comedy Award for Best Live Ensemble, hitting the finals twice for the Just for Laughs Best Comedy Award, and racking up 20 Best of Fest awards along the way. James and Jamesy also teach classes in their Vancouver studio and host workshops internationally.

害羞草研究所淎aron and I didn害羞草研究所檛 plan on doing theatre professionally,害羞草研究所� Knowles said.

But they love it.

害羞草研究所淚 love the immediacy of the results. In theatre, you know if you害羞草研究所檙e achieving your results as soon as you step on stage,害羞草研究所� Knowles said. 害羞草研究所淭he connection with the audience is a key style of our performance. With the audience reacting in real time, you害羞草研究所檙e able to adjust the recipe on the fly.害羞草研究所�

While the base of O Christmas Tea stays the same from performance to performance, Knowles said they are able to tweak parts of the recipe for certain audiences 害羞草研究所� a process he is looking forward to crafting for Vernon audiences.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 always fun going to a new community and the turnout so far is great. It seems a lot of people are ready for a wintery good time,害羞草研究所� Knowles said. 害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 fun for us. Every audience brings a different reaction.害羞草研究所�

And for Knowles, that audience reaction is what keeps the wheels turning.

害羞草研究所淚t doesn害羞草研究所檛 matter what kind of day I害羞草研究所檓 having. As soon as the show starts, that害羞草研究所檚 where I am, fully,害羞草研究所� he said. 害羞草研究所淭here害羞草研究所檚 a feeling that I was there for the magic of that night.害羞草研究所�

James and Jamesy害羞草研究所檚 O Christmas Tea takes the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre stage Friday, Dec. 1 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are available for $34 adult, $30 senior/student ages 18-and-under and $19 for children ages 12-and-under from the Ticket Seller, 250-549-7469, . The show is also set for Dec. 3 and 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Kelowna害羞草研究所檚 Mary Irwin Theatre, 250-717-5304, .