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Welcome traveler...

..for those who seek magical worlds..

Friday, December 17, 2010

De Dans Van de Speculaas en Hoe Thee Rat Kerst Gewonnen or The Dance of the Sugar Cookies and How Tea Rat Stole Christmas

Please click on all images.

This is the tale of a humble little theatre tucked away in a corner of Nowhere, that glimmers with the magic of the Cirque de Noël . However, shimmering costumes and the twinkling hearts of dancers fair cannot outshine the enduring inner glow of true friendship for the grand finale.

Our story begins before the show


TEA RAT: Oh come now old thing and join us at the theatre tonight. We have quite the line-up and everyone is buzzing about it; won't you make an effort and come?

RATTUS: I'm in no mood for your buffoonery tonight! I am spending MY CHRISTMAS here by the fire, ALONE. Besides, I don't like the theatre.

TEA RAT: COME AGAIN? Theatre critic extraordinaire? The GRAND POOBAH of Vaudeville, Ombres Chinoises and the Big Top? Come son, and enjoy yourself, on me. Go get your shabby old coat and...

RATTUS: Oh leave me now! You are not going to steal my Christmas!

Meanwhile downtown...


THE ROYAL THEATRE OF NOWHERE PROUDLY PRESENTS TO YOU

DE DANS VAN DE SPECULAAS EN HOE THEE RAT KERST GEWONNEN

Do you have your ticket? CHECK!


Then please follow our Prima Ballerina and usherette, Miss Bebe from BEBE'S CORPS DE BALLET (and charm school)



this way please



DANKE. GOOD EVENING LADIES AND GENTLEMEN and welcome to our CIRQUE DE NOËL



featuring a host of performers


from the GREAT CIRQUES DE PARIS

and

the illustrious HILLTOP!

Now, without further ado, we present to you

THE DIVINE MISS MOUSSIE


singing, I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas

accompanied by the smooth tones of none other than

TEA RAT



OH! Here it comes.... the high note that only THEY can hit together

"....may your days be merry and BRIIIIIIIIIGHT


and may all your Christmases be white."


Oh that was smashing! ENCORE! ENCORE!


And now, do we hear the shuffle of DUTCH SUGAR COOKIES, otherwise known as SPECULAAS gracing our stage?


Gracefully led by BEBE


followed in a neat little queue by Gretta the Great, Basile the Rat, Tea's cousin on his mother's side, twice removed and followed by MOZES who SUPPOSES HIS TOZES TO BE!


And tip-toeing in after Mozes we have.....er......ummmm.....

(meanwhile backstage)


TEA RAT: "What do you mean Racoon broke his leg? He was to do the final SPECULAAS SOLO after Mozes! Oh dear, this role requires GREAT SKILL and FIT OF LIMB! And I AM, of course, the only one who is able to stand in, BUT I'm preparing myself for THE GRAND FINALE to accompany RACOON'S ROUTINE!"

(back on stage)

AH! Here we are ladies and gentlemen! AND FOLLOWING Mozes we have....uh.....is it....is it RATTUS?



YES! RATTUS SCRIBUS HIMSELF, CIGAR AND ALL!



RAT-TUS! RAT-TUS! RAT-TUS! RAT-TUS! RAT-TUS!


And the crowd went wild folks...and as the BIG COOKIE OF THEM ALL, TEA RAT, IN HIS GRAND TEA CUP, DESCENDS FROM THE RAFTERS...

...the two old friends are on the stage for THE FIRST TIME EVER and blend ever so beautifully, like a fine cup of PG Tips and the perfect dunking cookie.

AND NOW, a few words from Miss Moussie:



My friends,

Dank U

Merci Beaucoup

Obrigada

Gracias

THANK YOU and a round of applause, PLEASE, to Miss Bebe, Nowhere's Sweetheart and her CORPS DE BALLET


and to our VERY SPECIAL and last-minute understudy, RATTUS SCRIBUS for executing the most difficult dance moves ever seen on stage OR screen!



MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, and to all, a good night! Tea and Speculaas in the lobby for everyone!


That night after the show



TEA RAT: Rattus...

RATTUS: Yes?

TEA RAT: Thank you.

RATTUS: For what?

TEA RAT: You came. But not only did you come to see the show, you helped me, your old mate, your comrade, your friend. Did I steal YOUR Christmas old thing?

RATTUS: You GAVE me Christmas tonight old chum. What can I say but that I feel young again and I thank you for.....



TEA RAT: Oh Rattus!



RATTUS: CHEESE AND CRACKERS! Whatta ya doin'?

TEA RAT: You had your arms out, I thought you wanted a huggy...

RATTUS: Did you ever read that incorrectly! COMPORT YOURSELF OLD THING!

Friendship like a cup of tea

and sugar cookies crumb-e-ly

are sweet and sometimes hard to chew

but ever worthy, precious and few...



MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

All corny text, poetry, poor photography and drawings by Anita Castles Crowns and Cottages ©

EXCEPT for the darling illustration of Bebe by Penny at Angelswings

and image of Miss Moussie and idea of Mozes the Bear by The Dutchess

Image of Gretta by the imagination of Jackie at Once Upon a Fairyland

Idea of Racoon by Patricia Cabrera at Woolytales

AND RATTUS SCRIBUS is the brain child of RUBEN RIVERA from

Heavenly Minded and Earthly Good

Please stop by his blog to read a REAL Christmas message!

23 comments:

jerilanders said...

Bravissimo! Bravo! Encore! You are all superb! Hurrah! I am the first one to seat myself in the audience, myself and my 23 little rabbit buddies that is. I want a repeat performance. The stage props are magnifico and the lighting superb. Miss Bebe, you are a prima donna, indeed, in a good way. And Rattus, you really must "lighten up!, it's Christmas!

Rattus Scribus said...

I find myself at a loss for words to convey my gratitude to my oldest and dearest friend, Tea Rat. I thought he would steal my hopes of Christmas solitude and rest, by imposing theater preparations, rehearsals, staging, shows, and the like. But instead he reminded me that the spirit of Christmas is giving, and not just when it is convenient.

When Raccoon broke his leg, I had to rat-up.

Splendid show everyone. Absolutely capital.

Rattus Scribus.

Angelsdoor * Penny said...

I am speachless... BRAVO!!! What a magnificent performance! Lighting, costumes, what a performance.. Simply magical. What a way to end the year.. Encore, encore!
Beautiful work Anita!

Woolytales Miniatures said...

This performance has brought to me a wonderful feeling!!! All your effort and time was paid off Nita,, how much fun and delight it is to come to Nowhere!
You , Penny , Jackie,TD, Ruben are the sweetest people ever and your love and childlike heart is such a gift to all of us!
Bravo!!!!!
With all my love~

"Create Beauty" said...

Hurray!!! BRAVO!!!! Rattus Scribus has saved the day!
What a smashing production my dear! I sat breathless on the tip of my seat, and your theatre is fabulous!!!! Encore!!!!!

~ Violet

b.b.flockling * Rose said...

BRAVO to all in the Nowhere Theatre Troupe!!! What a delightful Christmas event to add to the Celebration of the Season. All the Flockling applauds your lovely efforts, Anita...and friends. Thank you for this gift of pure Joy!!!
love, Rose

jerilanders said...

And I am so glad that Rattus turned out to be a real trooper,,, I mean trouper. Oh dear, I am all Dutch sugar cookied out! I have had far too many.

Unknown said...

God only knows (literally) how I ever found all of you. But one thing I know for sure, I'm blessed beyond belief being a part of Nowhere.

To know all of you, is to love all of you.

The Christmas play with all it's imagination has become "real" to us once again.

Dearest Anita, the work and love you poured into this is evident of who you are and why we all love you so. I know you were not feeling well doing this yet the spirit of "the show must go on" was hovering. You are faithful, and kind and so much fun.

Cheers to Nowhere and beyond in 2011.

It's been my pleasure and my fun and such an honor just to be a part of this.

Merry Christmas and God Bless,
Jacqueline & Gretta

Christel said...

Oh what a slendid show! A wonderful Christmas bonus! I enjoyed every minute! Tea Rat and Bebe were so graceful...Jackie said it perfectly..what blessing I feel to have found you all! Thank you for all the hard work, your efforts have shown brightly my friends. With Love, Christel

The Dutchess said...

Bravo Bravo Bravo...Bravisimo...O mY goodness...THIS IS THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT...Dearest Nowhere Friends..this is magical!

Rattus..You never told us you could dance like that..incredible!

The journey to the theatre was a challenge..snow snow and more snow...BUT I'm here and enjoying my tea and spekulaas.

My dearest Nita...thank you for this..Love from all of us...I'll will be mailing later...xoxo

The Dutchess said...

And I can see you working on all this..having fun with lights ..snow and glitter....:))

Christmas-etc... said...

This is absolutely wonderful!! I'm so sorry I wasn't around yesterday - I really wasn't around!! But this is full of love and so beautiful in the old fashioned way that is slowing slipping from our world... hand drawn and cut out figures... Lovely! Well done to you!! I think you should plan on having a rerun of this very posting next year in early December when more people are around and less busy!!
Blessings to you Dear Anita!
Ann

Angelsdoor * Penny said...

Dearest Anita
Before I turn the lights out I had to come by and watch the performance one more time... Did you know there is a line all the way around the block? I am going to scurry around to the back stage door.. Ask TEA RAT to meet me there ok? You best tell Bebe to find more tickets, we are going to need them. See you inside, I will save you a seat.

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

Oh dear! I did NOT expect such a turn out! Bebe, are you equipped dearest to sell more tickets? This was only to be a one-nighter! Racoon is still laid up in bed....RAT-TUS, RAT-TUS! COme on now son, shake your leg one more time!

Ahhh.....the sweet smell of success, or is that the Stilton cheese Tea Rat brought for the cast party?

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR COMING! YOU ARE ALL SO WONDERFUL!!!MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Anita

~*~ saskia ~*~ said...

B R A V O dearest sweet Anita, I am raising my tea cup right NOW to you and I will have 3 speculaasjes. Had to look at your lovely post another time. Incredible!
Text and drawings are Spectaculair! Magnifiek! Subliem!
Een heel gezellige, fijne avond, lieve vriendin xxxxx en nog meer xxxx hihi, beaucoup de bisous xxxx j'adore la musique dans le background

Country Wings in Phoenix said...

Bravo...Encore Sweetie....
Oh how wonderful. Bruiser and I enjoyed ourselves immensely. I mean I couldn't come without him. His little nose was sniffing the whole time.
When he saw beautiful Ms BeBe I had to hold him back.

Oh Anita Sweet Friend, what a beautiful performance. I love it that for the Holiday you brought Tea Rat and Rattus together. But no huggy. Oh durn. As always a superb performance, and a wonderful time at the theater.

May God richly bless you and your family this CHRISTmas season sweet friend. You have so richly blessed me all year with your beautiful friendship. I cherish it with everything in my heart and soul.

Many hugs and SO much love to you sweetie, Sherry

A Homeschool Story said...

Bravo!

Your story and performance is a magical treat, a theatrical pleasure and joy.

Thank you for stopping by my blog and allowing me to find your world.

Merry Christmas and blessings of peace, joy and continuing creativity.

Angela

Anonymous said...

passez un bon fétes de fin d'année.

The Dutchess said...

A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS.....with love T.D

Castles Crowns and Cottages said...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL! Thank you all for coming to the performance....the theatre will now close...is anyone up for a NEW YEARS PARTY HERE IN NOWHERE? Come on...get out the drawing pencils everyone and submit your renderings...I hear there is DUTCH CHOCOLATE WINE in Tea Rat's basket....Bebe, I think you are now of age to take a sip...you will love it! Miss M., I believe you have a special gown to wear and a song in your heart to share, and Gretta, party girl of the year, COME ON NOW!

LOVE YOU ALL! Anita

Sharon Lovejoy said...

What a wonderful and whimsical journey/adventure you gave me. Hurrah!

I came to you via Jeri Landers.

All joys to you,

Sharon Lovejoy Writes from Sunflower House and a Little Green Island

Fer said...

This is just too incredible congratulations on a WONDERFUL MAGICAL, BLOG.BRAVO!!! I AM ALSO FOLLOWING.

Fer