Anyone seen one or planning to do so this year?
We had a great time yesterday evening at Greenwich Theatre watching its production of Dick Whittington. Set in 1960s but everything you would expect from a panto: sustained silliness, plenty of innuendo, a dame with a very big hairdo, a stream of good songs from the era, and we all got to sing along with the theme song from The Double Deckers. We were in a party of all adults and it looked as if 80% of the audience were over forty, but all the kids in the theatre enjoyed it as much as us.
It was small scale and clearly done on a budget, but not cheap; and we enjoyed it more than we went to the extravaganza at the London Palladium a couple of years ago. Exactly what panto should be.
Oh no I’m not.
The days when I used to go see a panto are Behind Me.
Seriously, Panto seems to be a singularly British thing. Americans are completely baffled by it.
My Canadian friend informs that in the Brit-origins parts of Canada they still have Panto at Xmas. She and her (adult) daughter went to one (also Dick Whittington) last week in Vancouver and enjoyed it very much.
Not so popular in French-speaking Quebec, I suppose.
I wonder, do they have Panto in Oz and NZ?
No pantos in NZ, as far as I know. I went to one in Vancouver about 10 years ago (my brother lives there). It was a local production and a clever move by them was to invest money in hiring an actual celebrity in the starring role. No idea who he was but locals seemed to know him and he really carried the show because he was a pro. You could tell he enjoyed it too because he was the star. Even the most talented members of the local cast were nowhere near as good as him. I would guess he was the Canadian equivalent of Adam Woodyatt or the Go Compare bloke.
Not panto, but we did go to see the Cambridge Phil. do Nutcracker at West Road. It made me feel slightly festive, for an hour.
We were in the UK for Christmas a couple of years ago and managed to get reasonably cheap tickets for The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House.
We saw it there about 15-20 years ago and I still love it.
My ballroom dancing teacher was off to That London yesterday to see it at the Coliseum. During Friday’s Tango class, she asked me where the Coliseum is.
“That’s where the English National Opera are based” I replied. I don’t think I helped much.
We went last year. We had been planning to go in 2022 but rail strikes, iirc, led to the Christmas Eve performance being called off as the cast and crew might not be able to get home. It was OK. We go to the opera at the ROH once or twice a season so I kept expecting the dancers to burst into song and couldn’t find a way to enjoy the ballet other than as an athletic spectacle. Back to the vocal show for me.
I haven’t been for a few years. The local ones are pretty dire, although Brighton might be better. My wife and her sister used to go to the Palladium every year but can’t face the trains any more.
Our local one in Winchcombe isn’t till the new year but looking forward to it as not been to one in years.
We are blessed with two competing Pantos in the heart of Swinging Downtown Ipswich – one hosted by the council at The Regent (nee Odeon) usually featuring someone from Cbeebies, an ex-Emmerdale star, and ‘Squeaky’ McLean, and a Rock n’ Roll Panto at The New Wolsey in which a regular ensemble cast swap instruments and crowbar song references into the narrative. 2019’s ‘Aladdin’ featured a stirring ‘The Boys are Back in Town’ to greet the piratey shipmates arrival at the dock for example, but there was a knowing nod to the audience once his sidekick Tommy arranged to meet his girlfriend Gina at the diner where she worked. “Oh yes we are…” indeed.
There’s a live stream this year in case anyone feels like they’re missing out.
https://www.wolseytheatre.co.uk/shows/sleeping-beauty-livestream/
New Wolsey sadly missing Steve Simmonds this year. (OK I’m biased he’s my son). This year he’s plying his panto trade in North Wales at the Theatr Clywd which meant a five hour drive to get to see him rather than the customary 25 minutes to Ipswich!
I am familiar with much of his work, and he is amazing! Saw him in ‘Tommy’ at The Wolsey – fabulous work.
Blimey Tommy was a while ago. It was a great tour and he got to meet Pete Townsend.
I think Steve holds the record for most ever panto appearances in Ipswich, something along the lines of 800+. Hopefully he’ll get back in there one day.
Nice to read there is a fellow afterworder in my neck of the woods. Are there others?
I’m in one! My Panto debut, after 19 years in the game. Although I’ve done my fair share of Christmas shows, over the years.
The Jewish Panto at JW3, up the Finchley Road in London. Classic Panto fare but with a load of jokes about Jewish stuff and a smattering of Yiddish.
Lots of fun. I’m even performing on Christmas Day, which was a hard sell but I maintain will make for a memorable and unique experience of the big day for my kids (only one of whom is old enough to remember it).
I revert back to ‘serious actor’ mode in mid January, so I’m having as much fun as I can while the going is good. (Oh yes I am…)
Serious acting? It’s Behind You! [wink smiley]
Oh no it isn’t.
Oh yes it is, already.
Good review too.
https://everything-theatre.co.uk/2024/12/review-goldie-frocks-and-the-bear-mitzvah-jw3/#:~:text=Excellent,a%20fabulous%20sprinkling%20of%20chutzpah!