22 December: Pantomime

Today's anniversary: on this date in 1716 Lincoln's Inn Theatre, London, put on England's first pantomime. A good time to present you with 10 facts about panto. (Oh, no it isn't! Oh, yes, it is.)

1. Pantomime, as we know it today, is quintessentially English form of theatre. It's rare for anyone to put on a pantomime in the United States, for example, where the word actually means something totally different. In America, "pantomime" means mime, the sort of thing Marcel Marceau would do.
2. The origins of pantomime aren't English at all, though. The word comes from the Latin word pantomimus, panto meaning all and mimos meaning dancer. The first pantomimes were performed in Ancient Rome and took the form of one male dancer who would act out myths and legends. He would play all the parts, with the help of masks, stock gestures and hand movements.
3. The next step in the evolution of the pantomime was the English mummers play, which, like modern pantomimes, was traditionally performed at Christmas. The plot was generally based on the St George and the Dragon story. Elements of today's panto began to appear - good vs evil, coarse humour and stage fights.
4. Panto could be described as the love child of the mummers play and an Italian form of theatre called commedia dell'arte. The latter was performed by professional actors who would take their productions on tour. The characters would generally include a pair of young lovers, old men and servants. By the 18th century this form of theatre had reached Britain and was known as a harlequinade. The young lovers were Harlequin and Columbine, who were eloping and being chased by Columbine's father, Pantaloon, and his servants. The plot didn't vary much for 150 years, although in later years, a comedy policeman was added to the mix. The last harlequinade was played at the Lyceum Theatre in 1939.
5. Panto as we know it began to emerge in the early 18th century and the person generally credited with starting it was John Weaver, the dancing master at Drury Lane, who put on a show called Tavern Bilkers, which combined classical stories with opera, ballet and comedy. This show bombed, but in 1716 he put on two more - The Loves of Mars and Venus and Perseus and Andromeda. This time, the idea did catch on and we've been watching pantomimes ever since.
6. Gender reversal is a pantomime tradition. In a modern production, the male romantic lead, or principal boy, is always played by a young woman. The Queen and Princess Margaret used to perform pantomimes at Windsor Castle as young women, with the Queen taking the principal boy role. There will be an older female (or in the case of Cinderella, two older females, the ugly sisters) played by a man in drag, the Pantomime Dame. Other characters which may appear are a fairy godmother, a villain, and an animal, usually a Horse or a Cow, played by two people, one at the front playing the head and forelegs, and one at the back playing the rest of the animal's body.
7. Another tradition is that the good fairy or fairy godmother enters from stage right (the audience's left) and the villain enters from stage left (the audience's right). This dates back to the mummers plays and their religious content. The right side of the stage symbolised Heaven and the left side symbolised Hell.
8. Audience participation is another feature no pantomime is ever without. A hero or heroine will ask the audience to warn them when the villain shows up, which he or she always does, creeping up on the hero/heroine from behind and moving with them as they turn around. This usually goes on for a while, as the audience yells, "It's behind you!" Another one is the mock argument where a character makes a statement and the audience respond with "Oh, no, it isn't!" and the character says, "Oh yes it is!" Early pantomimes were intended to involve the audience a lot more. They'd be set in a romantic version of the town and the audience would be the chorus.
9. Victorian pantomimes could feature as many as 600 actors and last as long as five hours.
10. The first ever principal boy was played by Eliza Povey, who played Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk at Drury Lane in 1819. The Pantomime Dame was introduced and developed by an actor named Dan Leno, a music-hall performer.

My Christmas Novella!

A Very Variant Christmas

Last year, Jade and Gloria were embroiled in a bitter conflict to win back their throne and their ancestral home. This year, Queen Jade and Princess Gloria want to host the biggest and best Christmas party ever in their palace. They invite all their friends to come and bring guests. Not even the birth of Jade's heir just before Christmas will stop them.

The guest list includes most of Britain's complement of super-powered crime-fighters, their families and friends. What could possibly go wrong?

Gatecrashers, unexpected arrivals, exploding Christmas crackers and a kidnapping, for starters.

Far away in space, the Constellations, a cosmic peacekeeping force, have suffered a tragic loss. They need to recruit a new member to replace their dead colleague. The two top candidates are both at Jade and Gloria's party. The arrival of the recruitment delegation on Christmas Eve is a surprise for everyone; but their visit means one guest now faces a life-changing decision.

Meanwhile, an alliance of the enemies of various guests at the party has infiltrated the palace; they hide in the dungeon, plotting how best to get rid of the crime-fighters and the royal family once and for all. Problem is, they all have their own agendas and differences of opinion on how to achieve their aims.

Not to mention that this year, the ghosts who walk the corridors of the palace on Christmas Eve will be as surprised by the living as the living are by them.

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New!

Secrets and Skies

Jack Ward, President of Innovia, owes his life twice over to the enigmatic superhero, dubbed Power Blaster by the press. No-one knows who Power Blaster is or where he comes from - and he wants it to stay that way.

Scientist Desi Troyes has developed a nuclear bomb to counter the ever present threat of an asteroid hitting the planet. When Ward signs the order giving the go ahead for a nuclear test on the remote Bird Island, he has no inkling of Troyes' real agenda, and that he has signed the death warrants of millions of people.

Although the island should have been evacuated, there are people still there: some from the distant continent of Classica; protesters opposed to the bomb test; and Innovians who will not, or cannot, use their communication devices.

Power Blaster knows he must stop the bomb from hitting the island. He also knows it may be the last thing he ever does.

Meanwhile in Innovia, Ward and his staff gather to watch the broadcast of the test. Nobody, not even Troyes himself, has any idea what is about to happen.

Part One of The Raiders Trilogy.

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