Page 27 - Dec 2022
P. 27
Going t o t he Pant o
Holiday pantomime that is. Many British Christmas
customs have been adopted whole cloth by
Americans and other countries around the world.
Yet, while France loves its own tradition of mimes (
not one word, please, about the subtle artistry of
Marcel Marceau), no one that isn't a tried and true
member of the UK "gets" the obsession with the
Holiday Pantomime, as noisy as France's mimes are
silent, and as broad as humor can possibly be
defined. The Panto can also feature cross dressing
( thank you William Shakespeare for making that
happen on the stage) and improbable plots, often
taken from fairy tales, dressed up as theatrical
stories.
Pantos are meant for kids, but the acting is so arch
that adults in the UK seem unable to resist them
and use the kids as an excuse to attend. Never
been to a panto? We have a modest example below
of Jack and the Beanstalk.
27
