You can tell that the festive season is looming. Apart from all the gaudy street decorations, different coloured coffee cup litter in the gutters and turkey and stuffing flavour sandwiches in the shops (Pret’s totally wins by the way), pantomimes are taking over theatreland!
For those who are not aware of the genre and are assuming this is some bizarre form of Irish silent performing art that involves trousers, ‘pantomime’ is actually a traditional form of family Christmas theatre. The story is always one of a select few fairy tales – Aladdin, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk or Dick Whittington for example, performed in an exaggerated, comedic and slapstick fashion. Audience participation (usually in the screetched form of ‘HE’S BEHIND YOU!’ ) is not so much encouraged as downright demanded, and to be truly authentic there must be a pantomime dame (a.k.a a man in drag) and the young male hero should be played by a boy. A raucous, family orientated and gender image-progressive night out in other words!
Here are our picks of the best pantos in town:
The Classic – Aladdin at the Hackney Empire. (28th November – 9th January
The Hackney Empire is famous for its annual pantomime, and following on from last years lauded ‘Mother Goose’, this years production looks to be another corker. The Hackney Empire is being forced to temporarily shut its doors in the New Year due to a lack of funds, so it’s worth seeing a panto in this fantastic location while you still can.
The Biggie – Peter Pan at the O2. (1st December – 10th January)
Performed in the round in the staggering 1300 seat specially constructed venue, this is the big daddy of 2009 pantomimes. It perhaps won’t feel as traditional as seeing a show in an old fashioned red curtain theatre, but there are sure to be some fantastic sets and visual effects.
The All Star Turn – Snow White and the Seven Dwarves at the Ashcroft Theatre, Croydon. (December 4th – January 3rd)
One hilarious panto tradition is the ’star turn’, where desperate Z list celebrities earn 80% of their yearly wages by donning some satin pantaloons and taking to the stage. Take this panto for example, stars ex-Eastender Letitia Dean, ex-member of B*Witch Keavy Lynch (ask your now faintly embarrassed twenty-something sister) and those two grand dames of the British puppet world Sooty and Sweep.
The One for Adults – Sinderfella at Leicester Square Basement Theatre. (4th December – 30th December)
A high camp spoof starring drag artist Bette Rinse and a slightly unhinged ex Big Brother contestant as a ‘Cookie Monster? Songs including ‘It’s Raining Men’, ‘Like a Virgin’ and ‘Dancing Queen’? Oh yes please…

Photos courtesy of Hackney Empire, barto via Flickr and Leicester Square Theatre, used under a Creative Commons License.