insideKENT Magazine Issue 79 - October 2018 | Page 33

ARTS+ENTERTAINMENT
PANTOMIME SEASON
IS UPON US!
“It’s behind you!”
COULD THIS BE THE MOST FAMOUS CALL IN ALL OF THEATRE? IT CERTAINLY IS
WHEN THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVITIES START TO GET UNDERWAY BECAUSE, OF COURSE, IT’S
THE ROUSING CRY OF A PANTOMIME AUDIENCE. THIS PHRASE, ALONG WITH MANY OTHER
TRADITIONS INCLUDING ‘THE GHOST SONG’, THE DAME, THE SILLY SHENANIGANS OF THE
PANTOMIME HORSE, THE POOR, LOVELORN BEST FRIEND, THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS AND
THE HANDSOME PRINCE, IS SOMETHING WE HAVE ALL GROWN UP WITH, AND CHRISTMAS
WITHOUT A GOOD OLD PANTO – IDEALLY WITH A RAUCOUS SINGALONG AT THE END –
IS JUST NOT CHRISTMAS AT ALL.
The seasonal pantomime outing is something
that kids remember. It either signals the start
of Christmas, or heralds its end depending on
when your annual jaunt is booked for. The
first experience of theatre for many,
pantomime is as immersive and as crazy as it
gets and it can foster a lifelong love of the
stage. Most adults still clearly remember the
feeling of being one of the lucky little ones to
be called up onto the stage during the panto
as a young child, no matter what show it was
they were seeing or where, so it’s our
recommendation that you don’t pass up the
opportunity to gift such a gorgeous memory
to your young children or grandchildren. of decency. No wonder it was so popular then.
And no wonder it’s still so popular today.
The pantomime came to Britain in the early
1600s, so it has certainly been around for a
good long time, but of course, as with
everything Christmassy, it was the Victorians
who really made it into what we know and
love today. A pantomime in Victorian times
was an outlet for escapism; somewhere that
people could go to hear saucy jokes and see
risqué scenes in complete and utter safety. It
was safe and permitted…but just at the edge Today the annual family trip to the pantomime
is just as much something to look forward to
as it always was – and it is the ideal way to
introduce young children to the theatre, giving
them a magical experience that they will never
forget. In Kent we have plenty of them to
choose from, each one just as sparkly and
delightfully silly as the next. Take your pick!
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