Happy holidays to all! Here is my little nod to a long lived Christmas theatre tradition!
At the end of the year 2004, the area I live in was introduced to pantos. Don’t know what a panto is? I didn’t either. Honestly, I think most people in this area didn’t know what a panto is. But People’s Light tackled this British holiday tradition by bringing a Sleeping Beauty panto to the stage. And it took off in no time.
The panto, short for pantomime, is a comic stage show designed for families. It dates back to the 1800s, though has its roots in other theatre traditions, such as Commedia dell’arte. It is unlike any other style of theatre I’ve ever known, and I think that’s a sentiment shared by most outside of the UK. But if you ever get the chance to experience a panto, definitely take that chance. You won’t regret it.
Pantos are fun and bright and completely unlike any type of traditional theatre. It does have elements of other styles of theatre…one could compare the singing and dancing to a musical, but that’s about the end of it all. Because on top of that singing and dancing is so much more. And as you take apart all the pieces of a panto, this wonderful type of show becomes more and more unique. There’s something for everyone, from the very young to the very old. No, I have not rehearsed that a million times working both front of house and in box office for many, many pantos.
What comes along with pantos? All types of fun! Most pantos are based on a fairy tale or famous folk tale. As I mentioned before, there’s singing and dancing…but there’s so much more. Fun costumes and sets, actors throwing candy at the audience, and my favorite part- the breaking of the fourth wall and audience participation.
Breaking the fourth wall is a theatre term that most people are not aware of. It basically means that the actors acknowledge that the audience is there and interact with them. This is an integral part of a panto. The audience is encouraged to cheer for the heroes and boo for the villains. If the actors say, “Oh no they can’t!” the audience responds, “Oh yes they can!” Along with this, the actors have to be skilled in improv to adapt the play to the audience’s responses. It’s a lot of fun, and not something you typically get to do at a play. It just makes the panto even more special!
Now, I’m not saying there’s not controversy that comes along with pantos. Sometimes the jokes miss the mark, or can be misconstrued. I’ve seen cultural groups take offense to aspects of shows, and people not liking words the audience are encouraged to yell back (did you know “scumbag” originally meant a used condom? I didn’t until a very angry father left with his entire family upon hearing the word). There’s a lot. But I want to concentrate on one very important part of the panto in general.
Anyone who has experienced a panto probably knows about the Dame. The Dame is one of the most important roles in a panto. She is usually the mother of the main character, funny and wise at the same time. The twist? The Dame is usually played by a very masculine man in drag. Controversial? It definitely can be. Now let me say, I’m trans non-binary, and I can definitely see the issues. But with all the pantos I’ve seen, I’ve never felt like I’m in a transphobic environment. I know some people take offense to the idea, and I know some people do see it as transphobic (are we laughing at a man dressed as a woman? There are definitely the two extremes there), but personally, I think the tradition and history behind the character transcends some of the more diverse opinions, especially when you think about the general history of theatre. There was a time when men played every role, most notably known in Shakespeare’s time.
Over the years, People’s Light has done a phenomenal array of stories for their pantos. I’ve seen so many actors year after year, making it feel like even more of a tradition for me. It’s like growing up amongst these people, many of whom I know personally. I’m so happy that this is something that People’s Light picked up and continued to do. Every year, excluding COVID years, of course, we all really look forward to this. It’s exhausting for us out front, and I know even more so for the actors. But everyone who has ever done something to do with a panto knows that we do it out of love.
I have worked both front of house and box office during panto season. Box office was hell (I once had a woman call about three days before the performance she wanted to see. The show was nearly sold out, and she demanded ten seats together, which the theatre can’t accommodate even when we’re not sold out. That was not fun.) But I’ll never forget working front of house during pantos. By the end of the run, every one of us can sing all the songs as well because we hear them from out in the lobby, show after show. For as much as I bitched about it, it was really one of my favorite parts about working front of house during the panto.
At the very core, pantos are about love, and that’s what they spread. They give us all an opportunity to enjoy a very different type of theatre than we usually do. Even the people that are hesitant to interact and break those traditional theatre norms can’t escape the allure of a panto. At least, that’s what I like to think. So it’s totally okay for you to cheer and clap…trust me, the actors are going to be eating it all up and playing right back at the audience. It’s one of the few times in theatre that you get to give instead of just receive. And isn’t that really what the holiday traditions are all about?
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