John suggested that we take the kids to see a pantomime, a Christmas tradition in England. I was imagining a white faced man pretending to palm-walk a wall. It turns out this pantomime is way better.
From the start, the excitement was contagious. Families poured into the Liverpool Empire theatre. Little girls were dressed in sparkly princess dresses, some had tiaras and matching slippers. There were flashing, colorful light wands for sale. There was an old-fashioned candy kiosk with large jars of candy scooped into cups. When we got to our seats, we looked around at the rainbow of wands flickering around us. The stage curtain was shimmering. Anna noticed a disco ball just below our balcony. This was going to be fun.
When the show began, the music was hopping. The cast was made up of semi-celebs who could really sing, wearing colorful costumes. There was a man in drag. The whole show was very camp. There were lots of corny jokes, an audience sing along, and lots of shouting out to and from the audience (e.g., "He's behind you!", "No, he isn't!", "Yes, he is!") I loved seeing Anna hop up from her seat to dance. We all really enjoyed it. I hope we go every year.
Grandpa read that pantos are being introduced in the US. Will this format and humor work as well with a US audience? I hope so.
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| Looking smart for the panto |
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