OH YES IT IS!
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
© Ian Tilton
PANTO SEASON 2026 OH YES, IT IS!
He’ s behind you! Loud, gloriously over-the-top and still one of the best ways to kick-start Christmas, pantomime is one festive tradition showing absolutely no signs of behaving its age.
Better still, Kent knows how to put on a good one, with theatres across the county preparing to bring the big costumes, bigger laughs and brilliantly organised chaos back to the stage for 2026. Your only dilemma is which one( or two, perhaps three …) to see.
“ Oh no, it isn’ t … Oh yes, it is!” remains one of theatreland’ s most instantly recognisable exchanges, but pantomime has always been far more culturally nimble than its fairy-tale plots might suggest. Its roots stretch back to the Italian commedia dell’ arte of the 16th century, before the form began evolving on British stages and the Victorians really turned up the volume. Puns, topical jokes, audience participation, spectacular scenery and the principal boy and dame all became part of the mix, while increasingly lavish Boxing Day productions cemented panto’ s relationship with Christmas.
Perhaps that ability to keep reinventing itself explains why, centuries later, it still works. Today’ s pantos might retain the boos, cheers, double entendres and familiar stories, but they are also packed with pop-culture references, current jokes, contemporary music, ambitious effects and enough knowing humour to keep the grown-ups entertained while the kids are busy shouting at the stage. For many little ones, it is still their first experience of live theatre; one of the rare occasions when sitting quietly is actively discouraged and joining in is more than half the point.
Kent, meanwhile, can claim more than its fair share of panto pedigree. At the 2026
Pantomime Awards, Sleeping Beauty at Tunbridge Wells’ Assembly Hall took Best Lighting, while Caitlin O’ Shea won Best Newcomer to Industry for Sleeping Beauty at Chatham’ s Central Theatre. Canterbury’ s Marlowe has been collecting national panto silverware for years too, including Best Pantomime for Jack and the Beanstalk and a trio of awards for its incredible production of Aladdin.
So, yes, pantomime may be silly, sparkly and proudly unsubtle, but that is precisely the point. It is a couple of hours of escapism when everybody knows the rules, nobody minds making some noise and Christmas suddenly feels properly underway.
Panto season 2026 is ready to raise the curtain across Kent- all that remains is to choose where you’ ll be shouting“ he’ s behind you!” this year. www. insidekent. co. uk • 47