Monday, December 13, 2010

Christmas kicks

Okay...This piece of news is just too exciting to sit on. Richard Armitage Net dot com has posted an article from Woman's Weekly which states that Mr. Armitage's first performance as a child (like many of us) was in a Nativity play. But here's the kicker...as a donkey!  I can't help it! I find this fact unbearably cute!

I'm sure at the time, being cast as a donkey wasn't considered a choice role. However, when one considers the importance of the donkey in biblical history, one can see that without the donkey, the very pregnant Mary would have had a much more difficult journey to Bethlehem.  The donkey also helped the Holy Family to escape to Egypt when King Herod was on his infanticidal rampage.  Then again, a donkey was what Jesus was riding when he entered Jerusalem on the now famous Palm Sunday.  When viewed from this perspective, except for one of the Holy Family or perhaps the Angel Gabriel -- the donkey was a very prestigious role indeed! :)


RA as John Thornton in North and South
Now it makes some sense that such a talented brooder might have something in common with everyone's favourite donkey from Winnie the Pooh -- none other than that sad-eyed little brooder -- Eyore!






RA as Harry Kennedy in The Vicar of Dibley
Not to imply that all donkeys are so morose!  Another favourite donkey of mine is an upbeat, fast-talking scheming donkey from the movie Shrek (voiced by Eddie Murphy).  Richard could certainly handle that kind of personality!




Notice the picture on the wall?
Richard Armitage and Dawn French in The Vicar of Dibley


Now here's a little Christmas ditty about a donkey which is starring another of The Vicar of Dibley's favourite men -- Johnny Depp!


Did you get a kick out of that? 



Now I would much prefer a childhood photo of Richard Armitage in his Nativity play finery, 
but I'll just have to make do with this...




Do you think maybe he is not too impressed with his costume?

(Ohhhh! I am definitely on Santa's naughty list now!)

6 comments:

Traxy said...

That last picture is HILARIOUS! :D

Phylly3 said...

@Traxy-- So glad you like it! I couldn't resist it.

RAFrenzy said...

LOL! The last picture caught me by surprise. ROFLOL!

I guess Face-in-Hole is addictive. :D

Anonymous said...

This is absolutely fantastic, especially that last picture.

I've been wondering if he was cast as the donkey because of his proportionally large ears and nose. But I thought it might be impolite to say that. Or maybe because he was one of those rascally little boys who wouldn't sit still, and so a moving character was considered essential so he wouldn't be disruptive. :)

Phylly3 said...

@Frenz--You are right! I will admit to a Face-in-Hole dependency.
@servetus--Why thank you so much! You never know, maybe he volunteered! I remember wanting to be an angel, but I don't remember if I ever was one. Probably just one of many shepherds.

Anonymous said...

In the church where I was raised, kids didn't have a play but a program, and we were required to memorize long chunks of scripture. I thought this was all over till recently when I happened to be home for my nieces' Christmas program -- and they each recited entire chapters of the Gospel of Luke (they are seven and six). When I was older the church started doing a living Nativity outside, and i got to be an angel twice, but mostly because i was the only kid who wasn't afraid to climb onto the rickety church roof ...