What are the 5 key elements that make up a pantomime?
The main traditional elements of a pantomime are:
- Principal Boy.
- Principal Girl.
- The Villain.
- Good/Bad Fairy.
- Comedy characters.
- Panto animal.
- Slapstick scene.
- Singalong (involving audience)
What is the most performed pantomime in the UK?
The UK’s Most Popular Pantomimes
- Dick Whittington.
- Tom the Cat.
- Good Fairy.
- King Rat.
- Alice, the King’s Daughter.
- The King/Merchant.
- Pantomime Dame.
- Idle Jack (The Dame’s son)
What was the most performed pantomime in the UK in 2019?
With a winning 35 productions, the pantomime classic Cinderella is the most popular one this year. Coming in a close second is Aladdin with 30 productions, third is shared by the usually much more popular Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and the perhaps the not so popular Jack and the Beanstalk.
What makes a panto a panto?
Modern pantomime includes songs, gags, slapstick comedy and dancing. It employs gender-crossing actors and combines topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or folk tale.
How do you describe a pantomime?
Pantomime is a popular theatrical treat for families during the Christmas holidays. The costumes are bright, the sets sparkle and the audience are encouraged to sing-a-long. But cries of “It’s behind you” and “Oh no he didn’t” might confuse newcomers to the genre.
Why is it called a pantomime?
The word pantomime was adopted from the Latin word pantomimus, which in turn derives from the Greek word παντόμιμος (pantomimos), consisting of παντο- (panto-) meaning “all”, and μῖμος (mimos), meaning a dancer who acted all the roles or all the story.
What is pantomime UK?
A pantomime dame is a traditional role in British pantomime. It is part of the theatrical tradition of travesti portrayal of female characters by male actors in drag. Dame characters are often played either in an extremely camp style, or else by men acting butch in women’s clothing.
What is panto season?
In the UK a Pantomime, or “Panto” as it is usually affectionately called, is a form of interactive theatre, performed around the Christmas season for the entertainment of millions of families. Panto blends the traditions of the Italian Commedia dell Arte with British “Old Time” Music Hall.
What is the purpose of pantomime?
The sole purpose of Pantos is to make you laugh, dance and sing your heart out. And they deliver. Pantomimes are indeed deeply rooted into British culture, appearing for the first time in the 17th century. Today, Pantos are put on stage at Christmas time and they are often based around fables and fairy-tales.
How is pantomime performed?
Pantomime is a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is encouraged and expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers. Pantomime has a long theatrical history in Western culture dating back to classical theatre.