Where did the story lines for pantomimes come from?
Pantomime has its roots in ‘Commedia dell’Arte’, a 16th-century Italian entertainment which used dance, music, tumbling, acrobatics and featured a cast of mischievous stock characters. Harlequin was the quick-witted miscreant who carried a magic bat, wore a mask and dressed in clothes made of patches.
What is the purpose of pantomime?
More commonly referred to as ‘Panto’, this theatrical form is passionately devoted to its audience. The sole purpose of Pantos is to make you laugh, dance and sing your heart out. And they deliver. Pantomimes are indeed deeply rooted into British culture, appearing for the first time in the 17th century.
Are pantomimes British?
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. Modern pantomime includes songs, gags, slapstick comedy and dancing.
What are the most popular pantomimes?
The traditional pantomimes include:
- Peter Pan.
- Dick Whittington.
- Sleeping Beauty.
- Jack and the Beanstalk.
- Snow White.
- Aladdin.
- Beauty and the Beast.
- Puss in Boots.
Which often appears in pantomimes?
The animal, played by an actor in “animal skin” or animal costume. It is often a pantomime horse or cow, played by two actors in a single costume, one as the head and front legs, the other as the body and back legs. The good fairy always enters from stage right and the evil villain enters from stage left.
How many different pantomimes are there?
List of Pantos
- Cinderella (Both Versions) – (Larger Cast), (Smaller Cast)
- Beauty & the Beast.
- Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs.
- Aladdin.
- Aladdin Version 2 (Arabian Version)
- Camelot the Panto.
- Sleeping Beauty.
- Robin Hood & the Babes in the Wood.
Why are pantomimes so popular?
The panto we know and love today – with its slapstick humour and audience participation – has its roots in Italian street theatre of the commedia dell’arte in the 16th Century. It was Rich’s Harelquinades that developed the pantomime traditions of slapstick, chases, speed and transformations.
Who is the famous silent film actor who influenced pantomime?
Charles Chaplin, in the early part of the 19th century created characters like “The Tramp” in silent films. Silent films relied heavily on the ability of the actor to project facial expressions and exaggerated gestures that communicated ideas and themes in each film.
How old is the word pantomime?
The first use of the noun pantomime is recorded in the early 17th century, when it meant a theatrical performer in the Roman Empire who performed mythological stories using gestures and actions. The word was borrowed directly from the Latin ‘pantomīmus’.
What is a pantomime villain?
n. 1. a wicked or malevolent person. 2. ( in a novel, play, film, etc) the main evil character and antagonist to the hero.
Why do panto villains enter stage left?
The Demon King was the bad guy, the principal antagonist. By tradition he always appeared stage left, because left (sinistra in Italian) is traditionally associated with the devil. This tradition goes back to medieval mystery plays where the left hand side of the rudimentary stage symbolized hell and the right, heaven.
Why does the villain always enter stage left?
In a literal sense, always from stage left (or the right-hand side of the proscenium from the audience’s perspective). This tradition is probably a hangover from the medieval mystery plays – the bawdy, popular entertainments of their day – in which the entrance to hell was placed at the “sinister” side of the stage.
What is the most popular Christmas pantomime?
Cinderella is one of the most well-known pantomimes in the world and is based on a traditional fairytale of the ‘rags to riches’ story of an orphaned girl living with her stepmother and evil stepsisters.
What stock characters would we expect to see in a modern pantomime?
There are a number of stock characters which are common to almost every pantomime. They are great fun to play around with during a drama exercise, attempting to become them physically. Principal Boy/Hero Examples of these would be Aladdin, Robin Hood, or the Princes in Snow White and Sleeping Beauty.
Is Robin Hood a pantomime?
Robin Hood features all the ingredients of a perfect pantomime a fabulous cast and orchestra, laugh out loud comedy, bundles of audience participation, stunning scenery and special effects, beautiful costumes and plenty of boos and hisses for all the family to enjoy.
What are pantomimes in UK?
In the UK a Pantomime, or “Panto” as it is usually affectionately called, is a form of interactive theatre, performed around the Christmas season for the entertainment of millions of families. Many of the stories are based on popular, even if slightly skewed, Fairy Tales.
Do pantomimes talk?
For starters, pantomime can be categorized as a form of communication. This is an important part of pantomime because mimes do not speak at all when they perform. One could say that pantomime takes the phrase, “actions speak louder than words”, to a whole new level.
What was the most performed pantomime in the UK in 2019?
All we want for Christmas is an Arabian night, according to TicketSource, which has revealed the UK’s most loved pantomime. The online event ticketing platform has been checking its Christmas list* to find out which festive pantos draw the biggest crowds each year, with Aladdin taking the number one spot.