# English Dopers - tell us about panto **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2007, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200 "2007-03-09T01:55:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/21 "2007-03-09T15:03:57Z")
Have the Antipodeans continued the Pantomime tradition? In two episodes of _Hercules: The Legendary Journeys_, New Zealander Michael Hurst abandoned the role of Iolaus, Hercules’ sidekick, to play “The Widow Twanky.” In the first one, Hercules partnered with a young woman who wanted to shatter the conventions of dancing at the Panathenia Ballroom Dance Competition. Widow Twanky helped them prevail. Yes, it was very silly. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2007, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/22 "2007-03-09T17:33:47Z")
[QUOTE=Northern Piper] really? I’ve never heard of that. is is a down-east thing? [/QUOTE] When I was a youngster in Oakville, every Christmas/New Years my parents would take my sister and me to a pantomine in Hamilton, and a ballet (usually the Nutcracker) in Toronto. It was a blast, and certainly made the festive season quite exciting for my sister and me. We loved the shows! Dick Whittington was my favourite of the pantomime shows – it was both fun and scary. My school (Appleby College, based on the English model) put on pantomime productions on occasion. (BTW, last Christmas one of the court clerks here in TBay told me that she used to dance in with the National Ballet in the Nutcracker back in those days, so the odds are that saw her on stage!) I don’t know how big pantomime is in the west (I’m in Thunder Bay, Ontario). Thunder Bay (which may not be west, but certainly isn’t east) brings in a pantomime every year or so. The Wiki entry for pantomime indicates that there is pantomime on the west coast as well as in the east, and that there have been pantomimes travel across the west, including your fine city last year: [Pantomime - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantomime) > [@](#): > > Pantomime in Canada > The Millennium Players in Maple Ridge, British Columbia offer a yearly traditional Christmas pantomime in December at The ACT Theatre. Past productions have included Cinderella (2003), Little Red Riding Hood (2004), Jack and The Beanstalk (2005) and Aladdin and His Magic Lamp (2006). > > In Fall 2006, “Broadway Across Canada” presented the Ross Petty Production of Aladdin in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon and Ottawa starring Bret “The Hitman” Hart as the genie, from a Dora Mavor Moore Award-winning script written by David Finley[2]. > > The Kingston Meistersingers [3] presented an original pantomime production of Cinderella, written by Richard Linley, at l’Octave Theatre in Kingston, Ontario, in late November 2006. > > Peel Pantomime Players[4] Canada’s oldest continually operating pantomime group, celebrating its 36th year in 2006, brought Norman Robbins Rumpelstiltzkin to the stage at the Lester B. Pearson Theatre in Brampton, Ontario, in late November and early December 2006. > > SMP Dramatic Society in North Vancouver, BC presents a pantomime every January for more than 10 years now, with its most recent production being Robin Hood and the Singing Nun written by Stuart Ardern scheduled for mid-January 2007 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/23 "2012-12-30T02:09:13Z")
Thought I’d update this thread: we’re taking the PiperCub to a panto tomorrow in Moose Jaw! It’s [Aladdin](http://www.moosejawculture.com/events.htm), and we’ve heard from a friend that it’s very good. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/24 "2013-01-02T01:48:52Z")
So, we went, we had a very good time. The only difference from the descriptions in this thread was that the role of Aladdin was played by a male, not a cross-dressing female. He looked sort of like Doogie Howser. Good time was had by all. Some indication that the same group may put on “Jack and the Beanstalk” next year. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/25 "2013-01-02T02:00:27Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Have the Antipodeans continued the Pantomime tradition? > > In two episodes of _Hercules: The Legendary Journeys_, New Zealander Michael Hurst abandoned the role of Iolaus, Hercules’ sidekick, to play “The Widow Twanky.” > > In the first one, Hercules partnered with a young woman who wanted to shatter the conventions of dancing at the Panathenia Ballroom Dance Competition. Widow Twanky helped them prevail. > > Yes, it was very silly. OMG, I remember the latter episode, and I never twigged that the dance instructor was played by _“Iolaus”_ ---
**Author:** ![jabiru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jabiru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jabiru)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/26 "2013-01-02T02:06:15Z")
> [@Bridget\_Burke](#): > > Have the Antipodeans continued the Pantomime tradition? We used to. My grandmother took me every year when I was little (late '50s/early '60s) I haven’t seen mention of panto in Sydney for many a long year. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/27 "2013-01-02T02:24:29Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > Assasin tiptoes up behind Aladdin > > AUDIENCE : He’s behind you. > > Aladdin look arround. Assassin ducks behind tree. > > Aladdin (to audience) : Oh no, he’s not. > > Audience : Oh yes he is. > > Aladdin : Oh no he’s not. > > Audience : Oh yes he is. Oh, boys and girls, I wish you’d warned me. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/28 "2013-01-02T02:50:10Z")
It may be a zombie, but this thread introduced me to [Panto and Julian Clary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F87IvUBShY) so all is well. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/29 "2013-01-02T03:26:45Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > It may be a zombie, but this thread introduced me to [Panto and Julian Clary](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9F87IvUBShY) so all is well. I knew I recognized “Sally” from somewhere, but I never would have figured it out if I didn’t look it up. ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/30 "2013-01-02T18:13:56Z")
FWIW… 1. previous thread: [Sex education - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=9197) 2. script for Monty Python sketch featuring some panto Puss-in-Boots: [Monty Python: Puss in Boots](http://www.montypython.net/scripts/pussboot.php) 3. Video of ITV’s panto “Dick Whittigton”: [YouTube](http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=9F87IvUBShY&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9F87IvUBShY) @ **NorthernPiper** : Gald to hear the Piper family enjoyed the panto–after almost 6 years of waiting! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mattie\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71c47a/32.png) [@Mattie\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mattie_Blue)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/31 "2013-01-02T18:50:56Z")
The BBC series _Jam and Jerusalem_ has a great Christmas episode from their first season that features the town preparing and performing the holiday panto of Cinderella. The series is available thru Netflix DVDs, but not streaming. In the US, it goes by the name of \*Clatterford, \* probably because Americans don’t know aboutf the British Women’s Institute. (Community based volunteer organizations for women, they have the stereotype of being all about teaching how to make jam and singing the hymn “Jerusalem”.) I’ve watched them all and think it is a wonderful show. Jennifer Saunders is one of the writers and is a regular character along with Joanna Lumley and Dawn French. French’s audition for the role of fairy godmother is this particular episode is hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/32 "2013-01-02T18:51:44Z")
[The Pantomime Horse Is a Secret Agent!](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dkLsdQhZsw0) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/33 "2013-01-03T12:37:50Z")
> [@Toucanna](#): > > **NorthernPiper** : Gald to hear the Piper family enjoyed the panto–after almost 6 years of waiting! 😃 Especially since the PiperCub hadn’t even arrived on the scene when I started this thread! ---
**Author:** ![Bakhesh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@Bakhesh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bakhesh)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/34 "2013-01-03T13:48:11Z")
Probably also worth mentioning that Panto is incredibly lucrative for all involved, and probably keeps a lot of theatres from going bust. D-listed celebrities can make thousands of pounds per performance. We’ve even seen a few Americans coming over in the last few years to cash in. David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson both reportedly earned £125,000 for doing pantos in recent years ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200/35 "2013-01-03T15:24:36Z")
> [@Peter\_Morris](#): > > There’s a tradition of audience participation.. Oh, no, there isn’t! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/english-dopers-tell-us-about-panto/395200.md?page=1)