Common characters would appear in every production, whatever story was being told. This, as we will see, is a key feature of modern panto. Traditions also make pantomime an extra special, nostalgic event for families. Lots of adults take their children or grandchildren to a pantomime because they also enjoyed watching them as children.

Perhaps the most famous of all panto traditions are the fundamental pillars of audience participation ‘booing’ and ‘hissing’. These are laid out from the very beginning of the show and aimed at the villain or ‘panto baddie’ when they are acting in a mean or nasty way. The audience can ‘boo’ or ‘hiss’ at any point during the production, and often not when the actors expect it! Cheering Do You Hear the People Sing? From Les Miserables. Brilliant for defiance – eg. Robin and the Outlaws against the Sheriff of Nottingham. The idea that pantomime can shift and adapt to suit the day is nothing new. Over the years, Rowe has seen significant changes to jokes and scripts. “There are things we might have said 15, 20 years ago, with all innocence,” he says, “that we wouldn’t say now, that wouldn’t be perceived as funny.” This adaptability is a core part of the form, he says, reiterating that he hopes everyone feels welcome and included at every panto he’s a part of. “Pantomime is, at its best, always changing. It’s a comment on the time, so it’s pantomime’s job to metamorphosise.” There are many pantomime traditions and conventions, although it isn’t necessary to include every single one in a modern show. A lot of panto traditions are kept in because they are tried and tested ways to make people laugh and delight in the magic of the season.

Pantomime as described in this article was seldom performed in the United States until recent decades. As a consequence, Americans commonly understand the word "pantomime" to refer to the art of mime as it is practised by mime artists. [6] Shout Outs: Usually prior to the sing-along, during the interval or after the bows. Basically, someone in the cast (usually the Dame) takes the opportunity to read out the names of the groups in the audience. There's always a Scout troop, a primary or secondary school class, a Boys'/Girls' Brigade or a company outing in the audience; normally there's more than one. There's also often shoutouts to people at their very first panto (usually either little children or baffled foreign cousins - cue laughter from the audience and cast members joking that they must be having an interesting evening) and people who've been coming for decades. Extravagant costumes, improbable story lines, appearance from non-thespian celebrities and active audience participation constitute this outlandish but much-loved theatre phenomenon. Although it had its origin in continental Italy, the Victorians made it their own art form. Ridiculed by the haughty elitist and adored by the proletariat, the razzmatazz of Pantomime was here to stay. Traditionally both the panto Dame and principal boy have been cross-dressed roles. The principal boy is no longer played by a young woman at every performance, but the panto Dame is still largely played by a man wearing a bright and exaggerated costume and makeup.

They love the boos (booze!) that’s right, it’s the baddie. The part everybody in the audience loves to hate. It’s a true skill writing and playing a good pantomime baddie. They need to be evil enough to be a threat, but have enough character to make them engaging rather than just outright frightening. I like to give my baddie some comedy, and a nice musical number at the least. It’s key they have good banter with the fairy role, and perhaps a disguise or two up their sleeves. Notable baddies include: The top tier of Murder Inc. was decimated by Abe Reles’s testimony. But before he could testify about Albert Anastasia’s role in the Panto killing he mysteriously fell, jumped, or was pushed from a sixth floor window of Coney Island’s Half Moon hotel where he was allegedly under police protection. (D.A. O’Dwyer alleged that the case against Anastasia went “out the window” with Reles.) But his testimony had sent other top members of the Combination to the electric chair, including Buchalter, the highest ranking Mob figure ever sentenced to death, and Mendy Weiss, who had killed Panto in the Jersey farmhouse. As Weiss turned to leave the courtroom, Capt. Frank Bals, under whose watch Reles’s death had spectacularly occurred, caught the killer’s eye. Emboldened by the death verdict, Bals told him as he passed, “Peter Panto is waiting for you.” a b c Moody, Jane. "Grimaldi, Joseph (1778–1837)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edition, January 2008, accessed 21 October 2011. The last time that I saw John in the role of Wishee Washy must have been 5 years ago in Llandudno and I have to say that his return to the stage is certainly one that I’ve been eager for, John’s comic timing and stage presence is something that has been greatly missed over the years, his return has certainly brought the crowds in.Follow the Leader by the Soca boys. Excellent for when several characters need to pursue another character or objective. Wedding Day by Hot Buttered Rum. Really enjoyable, up tempo Blue Grass song. Excellent for involving lots of the company in a Western themed panto. We all know the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp, but there is nothing better than spending the evening at a theatre to see such a fantastic performance from all the cast as well as hearing all the children, big and small, getting involved with the boos and shouts during a panto.

One of the most extensive messy scenes I’ve seen is a broken ship’s bathroom which spews water everywhere (and I mean everywhere). There is also a song sequence with nearly a hundred custard pies. Both are created by Evolutions Pantomimes (you can catch glimpses of them in their show reel). The Song Sheet Accidentally in Love by Counting Crows. Used in Shrek 2. Great for lovers surprised by the speed of their falling in love – as panto lovers often are! And great to involve the Chorus.

Every Day I Love You Less and Less by the Kaiser Chiefs. Makes a hilarious duet for a Baddie and the Principal Girl – although the lyrics need a little adjustment!

I’m a Believer by the Monkees. A great song about being in love – and if you develop it with a gospel treatment, as in “Shrek”, it offers loads of scope to involve the Chorus. The Chorus, who can be considered extras on-stage, and often appear in multiple scenes (but as different characters) and who perform a variety of songs and dances throughout the show. Because of their multiple roles, they may have as much stage-time as the lead characters themselves. Everybody (Needs Somebody) from The Blues Brothers. Brilliant to use at the end, when all the lovers have found each other and a happy ending is assured. The gags really flow through the show and James Lusted brings us a slightly series High Chancellor, but he still has the great comic timing that I’ve seen him with in the past, look out for some hysterical fart gags and belly laughs from Lusted during his time on the stage.McConnell Stott, Andrew (2009). The Pantomime Life of Joseph Grimaldi. Edinburgh: Canongate Books. ISBN 978-1-84767-295-7.