All you ever wanted to know about panto but were afraid to ask.
From a Cellar thread where I was a supporting artist in a TV show.

The quick answer is that pantomime is nothing like mime.
It's its own art form :)

It is a form of theatre pretty much peculiar to Britain (as far as I know). It tends to focus on well-known children's stories (Aladin, Snow White, Cindarella, etc) and follows set conventions. Each pantomime has a 'pantomime Dame' which is a leading female character played by a male actor. There's usuallly also a male character played by a female actor. The 'Dame' is the most comedic of the characters and often acts as a 'guide' to the audience. The audience is addressed directly: in pantomime the fourth wall is barely there at all :P The audience is expected to participate. For instance, a common theme in pantomime is a villain (or other character, sometimes a beast) who comes in behind the lead character but remains unseen by them. They ask the audience 'where is that XXXX' and tell them to let them know if they see XXXX. The audience (usually children and families, but not eclusively) then shouts "he's behind you!" when XXXX comes into view.

In Robin Hood (which I went to see in Cardiff just the other week) Friar Tuck ended up as the Dame :) The Sheriff of Nottingham was advertising for a housekeeper and they needed a spy in the castle. Of course the Sheriff fancied him, cue much hilarity of chasing round the stage and fake boobs slipping round the back of the costume etc.

The plot included a scene in the Ice Forest (all on skates, JB's bum looking very tight) the Churchill dog and a huge lizard/ dinosaur. All good traditional stuff!

@ Sundae: there's a brilliant funny Doctor Who audio play called The One Doctor which is a complete homage to pantomime. I must get you a copy of it, you'd love it. It's the Sixth Doctor, Colin Baker, who is a stalwart of pantomime when he isn't doing Doctor Who stuff. It's so funny. Full of lewd innuendo, that kids won;t fully get, in that way that panto always is:

On encountering 'the crystal':

Doctor: Good Lord
Mel: Look at the size of it Doctor!
Doctor: I've never seen one that big before!

Made me chuckle. Even the supporting characters have names that refer to pantomime roles. One of them is called Banto Zane!

Actors include: Matt Lucas, Nicholas Pegg and (naturally in a pantomime) Christopher Biggins!

bu&&er bu&&er bu&&er I had decided that I'd love to go to the panto in Glesca wi you dear SG but forgot to tell you. BU&&ER! Oh well, we WILL meet up and have a FAB meal (Russian, if you'll let me be your giude) dear Sundae.
And did I say OH BUGGER!!!!!!!!

Oh I'm sorry chick!
I held out til Tuesday just in case, but honestly didn't think to check with you again.

Hey, I'm not averse to going twice!
I'll need to wait til the Monday after next to get the money together, but if you want to go either Saturday night or Sunday night do let me know. I'm going alone to the matinee, which is where they play all sorts of tricks and japes on eachother and ad lib. So it will be good to see how it's supposed to be done!

If we don't do the panto together then yes, I'd love to meet for food! Shall we see if Be-Bop is interested in a meet up? Even if that is just for a drink?

When is it you're going Sundae? If there are tickets left, i could try and book at the same time. Then me you and Limey (and buster if he wants) can hook up!

I don't want to lead you into [the] temptation of more spending - I could see if tickets are available at the matinee still and go anyways, even if we don't sit together. Gimme a weblink for ticket sales pleeze!
Oh, and it'd be a gas if Be-bop turned up (in the kilt, please!), and Dana and anyone else ...

The matinee is on Sunday 9th at 14.00. If you want to go on Saturday I am happy to go with you. You can still get seats in the Front Stalls about row J or K, which is the seat I was in in Cardiff and I was happy with that. Of course if you prefer to sit further back and in cheaper seats that is your choice, there are plenty of seats to choose from still.

Linky.

You and Dana liaise re the show you go to Limey. If you choose not to go to the matinee let me know and we can buy three tickets together. If you do go to the matinee then at least we'll all be going together, leaving together and queueing for the loo together :)

I'm staying at the Alamo B&B on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th, and it looks like Dana wants to stay at least one night. If you do too we could always get a family room?

How exciting, this is even more of an adventure now!

Am happy because I came back from town and sorted the computer out. How nice to have internet access at home instead of sitting between jack-off boy and wee man and listening to all the screaming toddlers.

They sound like the world's least desirable superheros...Jack-off Boy and Wee Man.

I can't wait for my new broadband connection to be sorted out. I'm on so-called bastarding 'mobile broadband' right now. It's pants. i live in a communications blackhole.

On the topic of least-desirable superheroes (NSFW language):

I fell awake at 5:30 this am. Instead of tossing and turning for an hour and a half, I'm out for a brisk pre-dawn walk. And dwelling on my crackberry. Right fucking now.

That's always a sign of a great day coming up!

The Glasgow GTG in January is making me happy! :) Looking forward to meeting Limey (and B if he decides to come along) and haven't seen Sundae in ages!

Har hardi har me too!

Absolutely effin nuthin is make me happy today. I'm as miserable as all shit. So there.

So post your poop mouth talk in the other thread.....

I got a letter & picture from SG! I've been showing it off to the guys. It's the first letter I have gotten from anyone other than my kids since I got here last June. Thanks SG. This really means a lot to me!!

Blimey, if it's the first you got from me it certainly took its time getting there! Was it my Christmas card?
Don't worry, there are definitely more behind it :)

ETA - rereading the above it almost sounds accusatory!
It wasn't meant to be, just me expressing my bemusement. Of course it takes a long time for post to get to you. I'm glad you have started receiving it, and really pleased it made you happy.

Happy yesterday, happy today. I think that's some sort of record!
My EHIC arrived yesterday and my replacement passport arrived today.

I'm going to book the coach later today - Amsterdam is ON people. ON I tell you! I might even have to start a new thread.

Congrats, SG! keep on truckin gurl!!! Before long you will be turning cart wheels!

Oh no, you're not getting off that easy. It was accusatory, and you're going to have to post a picture he can show his buddies, to make up for it. :lol:

Can you believe it? I got a Valentine's card from SG with a wonderful picture in it. SG is showing off the cutest little tattoo that matches the front of the card. Lovely, simply lovely.

I finally got rid of the 2 square metres of blue rock in my drive that got delivered in *cough*November*cough*... Well there was probably just under a metre left coz I used the other under my paving project... But I finally moved it all and now I can actually park my car back under the car port - yay!

Lucky for you the cellar doest have smell view... It's hotter than hell here... Shower time

Oh, oh, photo opportunity.:blush:

That's nice Big Sarge...and yes ducks a photo of your project I am sure we would all enjoy seeing.

I hired my niece to spend the night with my mother for 30 days.
Money well spent.
How much is peace of mind x 2 worth? Priceless!

There is a long paved path from our neighborhood through to the next one. The school bus stop is at the end of that path. The path was installed to be alternate entrance to the neighborhood for emergency vehicles in case the main throughfare is blocked. (There's only one official road in). But the path does not belong to the city, so they won't plow it. The people whose land it is on don't use it (they live in the next neighborhood), so they don't shovel it. But all the kids from our neighborhood use it to walk to school. (Or bus to a different school in the case of my kids.)

So in the winter the snow gets compacted, then icy, then lethal, and I end up driving my kids out of the neighborhood, round on the main road, into the next one and up to the other end of the path to catch the bus.

This year, I decided I would shovel it every time it snows, so this does not happen and everyone can use it safely all year long. And I have. But yesterday (first school day after the snow) one of my kids had to start the day at a different school, so my horrors did not take the bus. So I turned up this morning, shovel in hand and......

.....someone had already done it! :D

That is freaking awesome!

isn't it? I always hoped this would happen, it worked with picking up trash around the neighborhood, too.

Another happy, just bought and printed Seaworld/Busch garden/Aquatica tickets. (I hope it warms up down there a bit before we get there!) My sis, niece and BIL should be on a plane over the Atlantic RFnow....

I've been so sleepy lately. This morning again I did not want to get up and had no motivation. But today, again, I got up and got out there. It pleases me.

I went to the lake and fed the ducks, geese, swans and seagulls with the bread my parents are leaving behing when they go on hols. If I freeze it I will eat it, so it's better off in the birdies' bellies. I didn't intend to feed the seagulls, but their aerial acrobatics amused me so much I couldn't help tossing up a few bits for them to catch on the wing. Or preferably in the beak.

And I've just sorted out my wardrobes. Found some stuff to go to the charity shop, some to go on eBay (I'm being honest about wearing it) and the rest has been reallocated places so it makes more sense. Oh and Dad cleared out the other wardrobe in the bedroom for me the other day, so although I now have less clothes, I have put the stuff I think I'll take to Amsterdam in there, which will make packing easier. And my shoes live in there too.

I am organised!

Auntie Scary, Daisy and Uncle Sieve have landed and say the villa exceeds their expectations -they had high ones, I had none so that's double-plus good.! It's all getting real -getting excited..... got the maps, checked the car hire, printed dupes of all the tickets, had to tell people "no, no scrip store next week, I'll be in Florida, yes, doing the Disney thing...." :D

My Valentines weekend has started.
12 beautiful deep red roses from Sarge.
Awwwwwwwwwww - thanks :blush:

Tomorrow the 'rents will be away, so I'm having a "me" day. Having a bath (as opposed to a shower I mean) and watching JB on DVD while painting my toenails. I might even stretch to a facemask.

Woke up to 3 inches of beautiful snow in Raleigh NC - reminded me of living up north again, and had a momentary pang of homesickness. Was immediately reminded of my current life - wiggly puppy giving me 'wake up kisses', and my wonderful husband snuggled up in bed with me.

It's a nice quiet Valentine's weekend here in our house - nothing major - just playing with the dogs, and doing some housework. But having someone to share it with makes me smile. (Because I thought for a long while, I'd never be 'here'.)

SG -I'm glad they made it there. I'm sure they pale in comparison to you. I'm so happy - I got 2 letters from you. I love your pics!!

You know there are so many beautiful women in the Cellar, I wish I could send you all a dozen roses. sigh

I got an iPhone yesterday...I am now cool. For at least 10 minutes.

cool! Did you get a new job then?

Yeah...well...yeah. I work as an independent contractor for a courier company. The pay is good, and I really like doing it, though I drive a lot (1500 miles/wk). But I can write off stuff like the iPhone and car repairs as business expenses.

That is cool.

Hmmmm. The contract too? And that's just a deduction on next year's tax return, you still have to pay up front, right? Must be damned good pay and very busy right now..... (Feel free to post about me in the "What's totally bringing you down today" thread)

You totally lucked out there, WTG!

I remember you selling off your CDs and offering to move to any state to make ends meet just a few months ago. This is an awesome turnabout

I'm happy that you're happy, you deserve some up after all the down.

Things were really rough in the last half of last year for both April and I. But towards the end of the year, things started to look up.

The Sycamore CD was released on December 30th, and I was able to buy a new bass with Xmas gift cards. I recently started playing in an acoustic setting with some old friends from high school, and we're going to actually start gigging around town in the next few months. I'm also working on the next Sycamore CD/EP, which should come out over the summer...the folks I'm playing with now will probably form the core of a Sycamore touring band as well.

April's into her actual cooking classes, and is doing well (natch!). She works two PT jobs...one at a cooking school/supply store and another at a vegetarian cafe.

I've had some great interviews...each one seems to be better and better. But I just don't get the jobs. Maybe I'm too confident...maybe my job history is scaring employers...maybe my appearance freaks employers out...maybe I'm just not the right candidate for the jobs...or a combination of any of them.

The courier job came about by accident...I actually applied to them 6 months ago, but apparently, I fell through the cracks. I started working 3 weeks ago...been putting in a ton of hours. And I do worry about the wear and tear I'm putting on my little car. But I really enjoy what I'm doing...that doesn't happen very often. I start from home every day, I can take whatever deliveries I want to do and I work pretty much whenever I want. I am officially my own boss, and may even be incorporating soon.

I do have to pay upfront for everything, but I have to pay my taxes quarterly...and I can take deductions each quarter as well. I also have a good tax lawyer as a best friend. ;)

So yeah...things are definitely picking up. Now we just need to get our own place again...that's the next goal...

Quarterly deductions -awesome. good luck to you, enjoy your new toyImeanTool

(and thanks for satisfying my nosiness ;) )

After going without a computer for 5 weeks (mine just up and died.... it was 9 years old, so I can not bitch much), I now have my very own laptop!!! Actually, we bought this one for my hubby in Nov with the plan he would upgrade in Jan/Feb, and it would be mine. It is nice that even with a few glitches in our budget, I was still able to make it happen on time. Now I can take the computer to work, and before we open(and during my slow first hour) while having coffee, I can work on the web page. Hopefully we can get online and start rocking our business :)

Let us know when you get it up and running.

Someone was messaging me with a guy they knew, that knew Joomla, but I never got it :( Hoping someone remembers who it was, in chat that suggested their freind. Then we can get rolling even faster.

Pissing people off...making me very happy. I'm normally happy-go-lucky. Today happy-go-a-huntin.

On the shiney side of life, my son did great at his Trap competition today. Makes me proud to see him blow those clay birds all to hell shot after shot.

This came to my inbox today from a dear friend:
I'm ecstatic!

Yay! That one we hear far too infrequently. Congratulations to your friend!

That is good news, V.

There is an old guy, Walter, in his 80s, who lives in the UP (upper peninsula), and comes south (to the lower peninsula) every year for the winter -Oct-May, and figure skates at the rink where I take lessons. This year, he didn't show. I feared the worst. But today he turned up! That has made me very happy. I stayed late after class to skate and chat with him and have jeopardized my plans for the rest of the day, but I was so happy to see him :D

What's making me happy today?
 

Snow's a Melton. To be in the 50's this weekend. Im going to blow the dust off my road bike and go for a nice ride. Cabin fever is a bitch. Can't wait. Oh yeah and that studio vid. That was crazy.

Good advice makes me happy.
 

THE DOOR

Go and open the door.
Maybe outside there's
a tree, or a wood,
a garden,
or a magic city.

Go and open the door.
Maybe a dog's rummaging.
Maybe you'll see a face,
or an eye,
or the picture
of a picture.

Go and open the door.
if there's a fog
it will clear.

Go and open the door.
Even if there's only
the darkness ticking,
even if there's only
the hollow wind,
even if nothing is there,
go and open the door.
At least there will be a draught.

Miroslav Holub

cleanliness. We're so LUCKY to be modern people, with hot and cold running water, and showers. really! How did people stand being dirty all the time?

I bought myself a new 5th generation blue iPod Nano 16 GB today. Ordered it from Amazon and should get it Thursday!

Peace and quiet, for a few days.

That really is awesome. Too many people I know don't get that news. In last five years, two people beat the cancer (breast cancer), four did not (mother-in-law - lung; grand-mother-in-law - pancreatic; best friend's wife - rare form of lung cancel in large intestine...horrible; bile duct cancer - five years to live). Another 4-5 others I know about, but not as closely.

You are blessed!

Awesome! Not exactly Trap, but Skeet is fun! I'll let me son play and give me feedback. Thanks!

I just got done fencing two concurrent tournaments at BU. I got knocked out of a tough foil event pretty early after going 3-2 in the pool. One of their guys asked me to fence the weaker epee event to even up the pools, so I beat him in the final. go me... I want sleep but have a commitment tonight... should be napping not posting.