Fans of Monty Python, Mr. Bean, and Dr. Seuss… Rejoice! This holiday season, comedy royalty, James & Jamesy make their much-anticipated return to Vancouver Island with their wildly popular theatrical production O Christmas Tea: A British Comedy.
The three-time London Impresario award winners are brewing up shows at Victoria’s Royal Theatre on November 7 & 8, with additional performances across the Island in Duncan, Sidney, Nanaimo, Courtenay, throughout mainland BC and beyond.
Reminiscent of classic British pantos, O Christmas Tea is rich with wordplay, comic physicality and cleverly crafted interactive elements, yet the real magic is found in the duo’s boundless imagination and endearing chemistry.
“The Christmas season is the time of year when we are encouraged to dream big, embrace imagination, and celebrate child-like excitement for magic and merriment,” says Alastair Knowles, the actor playing Jamesy.
“With O Christmas Tea, we bring together multiple generations in the theatre, laughing and enjoying each other’s company – and ours,” adds Aaron Malkin, who plays James.
Fans and critics alike rave about the duo’s ability to elicit a sense of play in a room full of adults and children. “The unique production sends audience members home invigorated, rejuvenated and joyful that the child in you is now awake,” says reviewer Christopher Hoile (Stage Door Toronto) in his five-star review of the show.
Juxtaposing British propriety with an unabashed love for the unexpected, O Christmas Tea casts away the conventions of theatre and joyously breaks the fourth wall. In fact, just about the only thing these two don’t break is their Royal Doulton tea set in this wonderful evening of play and whimsy.
November 5: Duncan, Cowichan Performing Arts Centre
November 6: Sidney, Mary Winspear Theatre
November 8 & 9: Victoria, Royal Theatre
November 9: Nanaimo, Port Theatre
November 10: Courtenay, Sid Williams Theatre
To get your tickets to this must-experience performance, go to OChristmasTea.com
The season opens with The Turn of the Screw (October 22, 24, 26, 28, 2025), Benjamin Britten’s psychological thriller based on Henry James’s novella. The opera follows a governess who believes she must protect two children from vengeful spirits. Britten’s tense score keeps audiences questioning the reality of the apparitions. The production features Kirsten MacKinnon, Isaiah Bell, and Mars Young, conducted by Giuseppe Pietraroia and directed by Michael Shamata.
Next, Tosca (February 18, 20, 22, 24, 2026) tells a story of love, betrayal, and political intrigue in Rome. This co-production with Vancouver Opera highlights Puccini’s lush score and explores truth and power in a corrupt society. The cast includes Meghan Lindsay, Yongzhao Yu, and Brett Polegato, conducted by Giuseppe Pietraroia and directed by Brenna Corner.
In April, Orpheus & Eurydice (April 22, 24, 26, 28, 2026) brings Gluck’s Baroque masterpiece to the stage for the first time in Pacific Opera’s history. The opera follows Orpheus’s descent into the underworld to rescue Eurydice, with Christian Sanders, Andriana Chuchman, and Suzanne Rigden leading the cast, conducted by Nicole Paiment and directed by Amanda Testini.
A highlight of the Luminary Series is The Queen In Me (September 24, 2025, McPherson Playhouse), a one-night-only performance by Teiya Kasahara with pianist David Eliakis. Using the Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute, the show explores race, gender, and sexuality in opera, featuring works by Puccini, Donizetti, Verdi, Richard Strauss, and Mozart.
Also part of the Luminary Series is Zombie Blizzard (January 18, 2026, McPherson Playhouse), a collaboration between soprano Measha Brueggergosman-Lee, author Margaret Atwood, and composer Aaron Davis. The performance blends classical and jazz elements, with Atwood’s recorded poetry and Brueggergosman-Lee’s voice creating a haunting meditation on grief, gender, and resilience.
