Pantomimes

[kenyancowgirl]

Perhaps your cat fancies a lead role in Dick Whittington?

[southbucks3]

Surely you sing our favourite during these moments of panto madness:

UB40 : rat in mi kitchen.....great song.

We have two lumping great dim witted dogs that play the ugly sisters rather well too, trying to force cat into giving up and leaving them her 'treat', it rarely works and if they do get it they gently carry it around still wiggling, their doggy faces looking rather bemused until we call out 'drop' and they do so with relief.

Did the big star panto once, they loved it, once was enough.

[succeed]

Hope you enjoy it brentfordmum!

yes, the Hippodrome seems to pull it out of the bag every year - shan't be going this year though as I think it can only be an anti climax after last year when they truly peaked.

[JamesDean]

While the Rep was shut for refurbishment, we went to the Crescent and saw some wonderfully dark children's shows. This year they're doing Roald Dahl's The Witches - http://www.crescent-theatre.co.uk/theat ... ntID=19297" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

JD

[Peridot]

Some more great ideas for me to remember for future years; thank you. Except for Amber's homegrown panto; I often have to carefully avoid a parallel scenario in which neighbour's cat sneaks in and tries to get to our lovely pet rats. I found a cat once sitting in my kitchen ogling them and am now very careful with open windows and doors.

I now take my DD, with friends, every year just after Christmas to see whatever Matthew Bourne show is on at Sadlers Wells in London. We went two or three times when the children were little to see The Snowman ballet at the Peacock Theatre (part of Sadlers Wells) and have graduated on to the harder stuff now, losing a husband and son in the process as they have no desire at all to see any dancing. We did all go to a proper old-fashioned grown-up ballet once and universally hated it. The Matthew Bourne ballets are amazing though: we've seen his Cinderella (set in the Blitz), gothic Sleeping Beauty and the amazing male Swan Lake. It's Edward Scissorhands this year and we are really looking forward to it.

[kenyancowgirl]

Aww...my friend from school was stage director for his Cinderella and various other productions - pretty sure they travelled the world with it! She is now doing 6 months in the RSC!

[Peridot]

Aww...my friend from school was stage director for his Cinderella and various other productions - pretty sure they travelled the world with it! She is now doing 6 months in the RSC!

Wow - that must have been an interesting and stimulating experience. The Matthew Bourne Cinderella was one of the most visually stunning, and moving, stage productions I have ever seen - just beautiful, all set in black and white, like a wartime film, with splashes of symbolic red. And the music is by Prokofiev so that was wonderful too. I hope it gets a revival as I'd love to see it again.

[2Girlsmum]

We go the ones at Park Theatre in North London, as they completely change the stories! This year it's Jack and the Beanstalk..... http://parktheatre.co.uk/whats-on/jack- ... -beanstalk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Loopyloulou]

For most of my life I heartily disliked pantomime, until a few years ago someone pointed out to me the direct derivation from Commedia dell'arte which, sad creature I am, I found fascinating. Now I will always attend a local amateur production, so full of enthusiasm and true to the roots (good fairy up stage right, bad fairy up stage left, girl dressed as boy and man dressed as woman, amor vincit omnia, whatever the story).
I am a convert, oh yes I am! But I would certainly recommend a traditional, local performance. Better and cheaper. Last year I went to a professional production - at the Theatre Royal in Newcastle - which I felt suffered overly from professionalism.

[Yamin151]

Aww...my friend from school was stage director for his Cinderella and various other productions - pretty sure they travelled the world with it! She is now doing 6 months in the RSC!

Wow - that must have been an interesting and stimulating experience. The Matthew Bourne Cinderella was one of the most visually stunning, and moving, stage productions I have ever seen - just beautiful, all set in black and white, like a wartime film, with splashes of symbolic red. And the music is by Prokofiev so that was wonderful too. I hope it gets a revival as I'd love to see it again.

I saw this too! I agree, very moving. I didn't think I was going to like it, but the scenes in the club were really moving.
Nothing can beat matthew bournes swan lake though. I literally sob my way through the whole finale, it's so much more moving than the original one. And I covet the horrible mother's gorgeous red 50s dress!