Pantomimes are a HUGE British tradition that I was ecstatic to finally be a part of for the first time this year. Pantos are pure family entertainment on stage that go on all over the United Kingdom throughout the holidays. The shows are primarily fairy tales and other stories done up to the extremes, tying in local jokes and accents with bits of modernization thrown in to keep adults laughing. The children cheer for the heros and boo each time the villain enters and exits the stage. It was BRILLIANT!
I went to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Bristol Hippodrome starring Warwick Davis as the head dwarf. You might recognize Warwick as Professor Flitwick and a few other characters in the Harry Potter film series.
Here are a few reviews to give you a bit of an insight scoop on what can be expected of a British Pantomime, and what I saw on opening night.
Western Daily Press
The Stage
South Wales Daily Post