Pantomime: A Very British Christmas Tradition

Ever since I was a meek Northern child, the advent of Christmas has been a special event for me, as it has for millions across the world, in both present and previous ages. To my mind, however, there has always been another occasion that runs in tandem with Christmas that makes our winters a truly British affair. I am referring to the joy of a Pantomime. It is my conviction that a good panto is one of the truly underappreciated aspects of British culture. Sporting a great white beard and tall red Santa hat as I write this (you can't prove that I'm not), I wanted to gift you with this piece detailing some of the history behind the Pantomime and why it has such an enduring appeal—

“HE’S BEHIND YOU!”

“OH NO, HE’S NOT!”

“OH YES, HE IS”

“OH NO, HE’S NOT!”

—So, the merry-go-round of screams continues to and from the crowds and stage. The children are breathless from giggles and glee, unable to turn away. They can shout no louder. Nothing can now be done to save Anny-Fanny, the pantomime Dame, from being snatched up by the Big Bad Wolf or Wicked Witch. But then: a slip; a fall; a splat or a cream pie to the face — euphoria may erupt in the most unsuspecting halls and theatres of our country. A memory such as this will be familiar to almost every British child. 

Pantomime is a kind of magic. What makes these experiences so special is that they’re local. Each is tailored in a very parochial manner to the specific community of each town, village, and city they are found in. A pantomime in Wigan or Wakefield will be of a different flavour than one performed in Brighton or Bournemouth. Pantomimes make local people into household names. Although many are performed with meticulous professionalism and attention to detail, there are also huge numbers of pantomimes that are performed by amateur dramatic societies. They spend hours rehearsing — usually while doing full-time jobs — because of the simple desire to put on a merry show for their communities and uphold a tradition. But where does that tradition begin?

We start our journey in the Italian Principalities of the Renaissance era, where a new, vibrant form of theatre burst onto the stages. It is most commonly known in the English-speaking world as Commedia dell'arte. The bedrock of this theatrical form is its stock characters, performed as one-dimensional caricatures and stereotypes. Such stereotypes include the wealthy old men (Vecchi), the servant (Zanni), young lovers (Innamorati), and the self-professed Captain (Il Capitano). Under these umbrellas, we can find characters that are variations on these themes. For our purposes, however, it is Zanni that is important. In the Zanni branch, we find a character known as Arlechino or Harlequin. A cunning servant simply wishing to elope with his love, Colombina. Before long, Commedia dell'arte became the form of popular street theatre for the masses throughout Europe and eventually came to the shores of England. For the characters Harlequin and his love, it was to be fame, fortune, and auditoriums.

Since England’s Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, any “spoken drama” could only be performed at theatres that had received royal patronage and, furthermore, all spoken drama scripts had to meet the approval of the Lord Chamberlain. Therefore, until the Theatres Act of 1843, many pantomimes were just that: mime. There were exceptions in theatres that did hold these rare patents. In those instances, famous Georgian actors such as David Garrick were able to give Harlequin a voice. Before long, British families in Georgian society were attending Harlequinades at theatres such as the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, cackling at all this zany tomfoolery. These Harlequinades were an entirely English spin on the Commedia formula and were performed as episodes of slapstick, instrumental fanfare, and elaborate chases. This is where British pantomime truly begins. When the Theatres Act passed through parliament in 1843, suddenly there was a wellspring of dialogue and verbal jokes that could now be brought into these pantomimes. That meant unleashing the full potential of this exciting theatrical genre and, regrettably, the decline of Harlequin, its silent star, just like Charlie Chaplin’s Tramp in cinema. Throughout the Victorian era, pantomimes became increasingly intertwined with fairy tales and stories from English folklore, such as Dick Whittington. The Dame became a staple of the show, and the roaring Music Hall tradition made its great contribution to the pantos by encouraging them to take on popular songs of the time. Hence the lovers in our modern pantos spontaneously burst into songs by Queen.

Pantomime has been an ever-evolving genre: such is the nature of all things. What has not changed is the joviality it has brought to generations of British families for centuries. Taking your children to see the Christmas pantomime is just good parenting. When we attend the pantomime, we attend to our nature as human beings: for community, for our culture, and for the festive levity of the season. Wherever you may be in Britain, I hope you will attend your local pantomime over this period. Rest assured, I shall be there, laughing at mine.