The Pantomime Tradition
December 1st, 2008It’s coming up to that crazy time of year where outrageous costumes, ridiculous make up, cross dressing and double entendres are being dusted off. It’s nearly pantomime time. Oh no it isn’t! Oh yes it is!
This Yule tide ‘loonyness’ isn’t restricted to Great Britain, many countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa participate in this surreal theatrical tradition.
Modern pantomime has its roots in the Italian ‘Commedia Dell’Arte’, a form of improvisational theatre originating for the 16th Century. Characters were identifiable by specific (and sometimes loud) costumes and masks, and included ‘Zanni’ and ‘Arlecchino’ – ancestors of the modern clown.
Much further back still, in ancient Greece, the ‘patomimos’ (which comes from the Greek words ‘mimic’ and ‘all’) sang, danced and often played an instrument. It also dealt with the themes of comedy and tragedy, which is reflected still in our modern ‘panto’s’ today.
There are many wonderful aspects to the pantomime season. theatre tickets for london shows (as well as many nationwide) are likely to fly out of the box office, despite the current economic climate. It’s a great time for talented performers to take the stage; it’s not often that shows with large casts are produced, which is great for the industry as a whole.
Perhaps the greatest aspect to the pantomime season is the audience that brings. For many children it’s the only time of the year they go to the theatre, and the industry is dependant on mesmerising the attention of this new audience to secure our theatrical future.
