How did pantomime come to be the form of entertainment it is today? 0000014306 00000 n The Clown's anarchic activities included imprisoning policemen; tripping up old women; and constructing mock vehicles, from cheeses and odd bits of furniture, not to mention stealing trays of tarts and consuming gigantic quantities of sausages. Ross Petty (born August 29, 1946) is a Canadian actor and theatre producer. This Hook, meanwhile, is . They're usually children's fairy tales but slightly modified. They hold the phone up to show me the meme. It's a splendid witticism, albeit untrue. The Dames absurdly captivating character is the great legacy to modern pantomime left by a remarkable artist of the Victorian music hall. His career began at the Surrey Theatre in 1886, and his performances particularly his Mother Goose in 1902, which he played alongside a gaggle of live animals came to define the role of the dame as we know her now: the over-the-top, unlucky-in-love, slapstick heart of the show. Covered by a canopy and bathed in golden light with Windsor Castle as the backdrop, the stage for the Coronation Concert is set to be truly magnificent. But how did the cross-dressing dame become so central to the tradition? Centuries later, commedia's stylised masks and anarchic energy shaped the visual and musical worlds of artists and composers from Prokofiev, Stravinsky, Braque and Picasso to David Hockney. It also meant the actors could make political jokes and satirical comments without being recognised. If you tell someone that youre a fan of pantomime, or that you work on panto productions, the most quick-witted of acquaintances invariably reply Oh no you dont. It's Behind You! The weird and wonderful story of British pantomime - BBC Pantomime remains endlessly popular and beloved by audiences because it strives to remain current. Pantomime's unique fusion of eccentricity, ambiguity and absurdity has much to tell us about our national identity. Often a favourite pantomime tradition for adults in the audience, the ancient art of double entendre is an established element of the panto form. an onslaught of abuse and aggressive protests. Perhaps the most famous of all panto traditions are the fundamental pillars of audience participation 'booing' and 'hissing'. 0000017781 00000 n Richs spectacular performances attracted huge controversy. In some versions, Pantalone also had a servant known as Punchinello. 225 28 It was developed in England and is performed throughout the United Kingdom, Ireland and (to a lesser extent) in other English-speaking countries, especially during the Christmas and New Year season. or at selected cinemas. Thousands of people would line the streets as his coffin made its way up to Pentonville Hill. The phrase means comedy of the artists and these improvised performances took place outside in Italian streets and marketplaces. The song sheet usually appears between the final plot scene and the finale of the show. But for many children it is their favourite part of the production. They spoke in a form of inconsequential chatter. And here Lowery does apply a twist. This convention is commonly broken nowadays but serves as an excellent foundation upon which to build your blocking. Lavish scenery and over-the-top characters lay at the heart of Harris work. Pantomime's absurdity depends on us enjoying this non-existent pretence. It's behind you! York's panto dame bows out after 40 years 0000002510 00000 n The magnificent golden stage that will see a string of stars perform in And until today, drag has remained a staple of comedy from burlesque to mainstream entertainment. We now reach the end of the 18th century; the moment when the modern Clown really arrives. He took over the lease of the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane and it became home to spectacular annual pantomimes that ran all year from Easter to Christmas. panto dame its behind you - haien-info.com No not backstage! Among the ex-soap stars, reality TV veterans and retired sporting heroes will be a small band of middle-aged men who have cornered the market in that pantomime staple, the Dame. Pantomime horses, cows, cats (and indeed a variety of alternative animals) form a core role in the show. His tactic was to set about changing pantomimes cultural identity, partly by limiting Drury Lane pantomimes to the Christmas season. In the 16th century, pantomime was born from commedia dell'arte, a Renaissance Italian street-theatre genre. Harlequinades were tremendous fun to watch. Its also frequent to see gender bent comics and a mish-mash of other roles. The audience can boo or hiss at any point during the production, and often not when the actors expect it! Survey finds 1 in 8 Brits believe they could pull off the perfect bank robbery? He's Behind You! - The History Of Pantomime - YouTube Nowadays the sketch is often accompanied by a song (Ghost Busters, the Monster Mash, etc.). The amazing leaps and pratfalls he performed forced Grimaldi into premature retirement, destitution and an early death. What emerged was a lovelorn older woman, facing adversity with a kind of desperate fun. So Lenos Dame is taking the starring role from the Regency clown. Go to www.historylord.co.uk to book a tour with the man himself.Directed \u0026 Edited by James Albarn of Last Line Films:www.lastlinefilms.comwww.youtube.com/lastlinefilmsFilmed by James Westlake:https://www.jameswestlake.co.ukhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo6Hx8ONooH1tgNoNsjf3hA#christmas #historylord #London With the help of pantomime historians, actors, writers and directors, Christopher Frayling explores how the form has remained so very popular for almost as long as Shakespeare's plays. Peter has signed deals with UK cinema chains Everyman and Showcase to give a cinema release to his socially distanced online pantomime, 'Jack and the Beanstalk'. From policeman wielding foam truncheons, to dames doing damage with a frying pan, there is no end to the fun that can be had. Functionally, it allows a chance for the whole cast to get changed. (1) This was a form of masked, travelling street theatre that came about in the streets of 16th Century . For example, the cow in Jack and the Beanstalk (in my version named Pat, just for the pun of it) is traditionally stolen by the giant to feed him. Were not trying to be convincing. Miss Digby/Dinotabot on Twitter: "What's with Babets obsession with - Renew, refocus and refresh your acting. Amid the whirling of puns and ever more extravagant outfits, I have increasingly felt that the joke presented to the audience is rooted in damaging stereotypes about gender. He's single, no children so why? The top half is a picture of drag queens. Bigots will happily accept a panto dame but not a drag artist. In panto, because the exploration of gender is a joke, a one-time thing, safe in the proscenium arch, its not seen as threatening to someone with prejudiced ideas about queerness. Considered one of the most quintessentially British traditions, the pantomime is a must for thousands of families around the UK. But the Dame also embodies the collective ties which bind us together as families, as neighbours, and as citizens of a particular town or city. He has eyes in the back of his head for a joke and understands timing better than Big Ben. And as times have changed with people more used to the sight of legs the principal boy became less relevant to a world of panto. I wonder why, in progressive 2016, we still like to see men dress in drag for entertainment Is it appropriate, in this age of inclusion, for middle-age women to be ridiculed by blokes in skirts and too much make-up? xb```b``d`e`fg@ ~(E%X$X^H"}.F,s< HK40J) %c`8HH0rg jq%y6[GCyw>0` if/% #p*n I'd say for most children in Britain the pantomime is their first experience at the theatre, and some schools will run trips to see their local show. Panto sensation and champion clog-dancer Dan Leno as Mother Goose. Augustus Harris is one of the most legendary figures in West End history and he became popularly known as the father of modern pantomime. He encouraged the most extravagant of shows to be produced and stoked competition in the British theatre world. One of the most extensive messy scenes Ive seen is a broken ships bathroom which spews water everywhere (and I mean everywhere). Its different histories, Samuel suggests. 57 . Think of the combined power of television and the internet and you start to understand the theatres reach and influence in the 18th century. A small thin man, with an odd wistful face, and a husky voice, he was said to have 'the saddest eyes in the world'. The panto season has stretched to last from the start of December to the end of January, and become essential to the UKs theatre economy. Pantomime has become quintessentially British: as British as Earl Grey tea or a good Indian curry. The latest pantomimes, like those before them, are peppered with culture-driven jokes and political satire relevant to the current day. Mother Goose is at Hackney Empire, London, until 31 December. Distinctive masks enabled audiences to recognise characters immediately; they also allowed actors to make topical and risqu jokes without fear of being recognised. What he brought to the Dame was a talent for impersonating the absurd dilemmas of ordinary people, from waiters and railway guards to downtrodden women. Pantomime is surpassed only by Shakespeare in terms of the gender bending casting in its long history. "It's behind you!" At the end of the 19th century, Britain is now a major imperial power. He's fomenting hatred against men that dress up as women for entertainment, it's been happening for generations, pantomime dames, (look behind you) Priscilla, Dame Edna ffs #auspol #stopit She presides over the anarchy which Grimaldi once visited on policemen. ith his thick eyebrows drawn way up high on his forehead and the tip of his nose heavily powdered with rouge, Dan Lenos Mother Goose was a sensation. The audience and the character comically share the knowledge that the Dame is not really a woman; that the Principal Boy is not really a Boy. Ugly 2: Yes, we visited Apple but they didnt sell apples. These are laid out from the very beginning of the show and aimed at the villain or 'panto baddie' when they are acting in a mean or nasty way. It has its roots in ancient Greece, and via Italy and France, insinuates itself into Britain. 0000008913 00000 n Stephanie Sofokleous recounts being 15 and keen to gain her bronze Duke of Edinburgh's Award. What British pantomime will learn from commedia is the fun of witnessing the triumph of the underdog. It is part of the theatrical tradition of travesti portrayal of female characters by male actors in drag. It walks a fine line: too blue and the adults will feel embarrassed, not blue enough and the children might understand it! The strange key to Leno's success - and to the character of the Dame ever since - was his creation of a credible woman whom everyone knows is being played by a man. www.its-behind-you.com (@IBYPantomime) / Twitter Taking its lead from the Its behind you phrase the ghost gag has developed over time. Goldilocks and the Three Bears is at Richmond theatre until 31 December. I was four when I was your age! etc.) Often the incongruence is the joke. and 'Oh yes it is!. 0000006236 00000 n 0000011636 00000 n The pantomime is a traditional Christmas show in England, it is usually based around a well-known fairy tale and is very funny. You can see recommendations on my blog for opening numbers, finale songs, dames songs and baddies numbers. The character list included the clown Pierrot, old man Pantalone and Columbine, a girl who fell in love with a servant called Arlecchino. ]]> At the Customs House in South Shields they pioneered using a sheep who translated the show into British Sign Language. Could you imagine your favourite pantomime without any words or music? The weird and wonderful story of British pantomime.