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Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:19 pm
by brentfordmum
Do you all go to pantomimes during the Christmas season? do ur kids enjoy them? wondering if they're worth the money?

Your opinions please. Thanks

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:38 pm
by Yamin151
brentfordmum wrote:Do you all go to pantomimes during the Christmas season? do ur kids enjoy them? wondering if they're worth the money?

Your opinions please. Thanks

Think they can be great fun, but when we have done them we've tended to go for more local ones as the big city ones are runiously expensive. Having said that, give me a family trip to see the Birmingham Royal Ballet Nutcracker any time over a panto - all the tunes you know, absolutely exquisite, shortish and child friendly and wall to wall christmas. Sadly, also ruinously expensive, LOL!

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 3:45 pm
by Tinkers
Don't go to them, haven't been to one in a long time. DD went to a few with brownies when she was younger.

I think what got to me was how expensive it was to go to one, just because some of the people in it were (apparently) well know celebs, when I didn't have much clue who they were.

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:12 pm
by brentfordmum
Thanks for your replies. I've never been to one, DD has been to one, when she was in reception, from the school. This year our employer is offering discounts to a local one but are still expensive. Also worried my DS will find it boring.

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 4:15 pm
by Snowdrops
We went, to our local theatre's pantomime, for about four years on the trot when dd was younger.

We all really enjoyed it but found by the 3rd and certainly the 4th visit that, because it was local, it tended to be the same people in the same role (leading man, leading woman, fall guy etc) and the songs could be guessed at before you even got there (that years biggest, cheesy hit).

We loved it short term but got fed up long term. We found alternatives to do after that, such as a steam train ride on Boxing Day (local so not tooooooooo expensive).

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:03 pm
by succeed
We went to Birmingham Hippodrome's production of Snow White last year - hilarious fun and worth every costly penny imo. Not sure it was aimed at young children though. :wink:

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:11 pm
by moved
Children liked them when they were little.
I loathe them - bah humbug!

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:13 pm
by Elibet
We've been every single year since DC was 2, and have always enjoyed them, but have decided not to this year, since he is 11 now. Last year raised barely a laugh from him, a sure sign he's outgrown it.


We go to the Wyllyotts Theatre in Potters Bar, and the one in Edmonton, the Millfield Arts Centre.

If you've never been, you don't know what you're missing. I can't think of a nicer way to spend an afternoon in December. :)

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:18 pm
by yoyo123
Oh, Yes I Do....

Re: Pantomimes

Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2014 6:19 pm
by Peridot
Hi brentfordmum - we've been to a lot of pantomimes - a great and silly old English form of entertainment and a bit of a family tradition for us - but they do vary depending on the script and the calibre of the performers. We used to go to the ones at Richmond Theatre and buy a discounted family ticket. They were very good pantos and the children loved them. Often the jokes can be appreciated differently at child and adult level. Sometimes they are just plain smutty though; look and see who the main actors are and that might help you decide. I have to say we have stopped going as the prices for decent seats kept going up.

Have you thought about other types of Christmas show? They are often a lot cheaper and a bit different from a pantomime. If as your name suggests you live in Brentford, you could look and see what's on at Watermans' arts centre. We used to go there a lot when the children were younger and saw some lovely shows. We've also visited the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon, and the Rose Theatre in Kingston for children's theatre. In fact we saw the excellent Rose Theatre Christmas show last year, which was called The Snow Gorilla and was a story about the circus. I think they are doing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe this year.