Panto - Part Two

A work colleague and her partner invited me to go to a benefit pantomime for a theatre that may be closing its doors. She had asked if I had been to one yet and I told her I took B to see the Wizard of Oz before Christmas. She said, "You wouldn't want to take a child to this one" and laughed. It was called "A Christmas Carol - A Gay and Ghostly Pantomime" and it was hilarious. Pantomimes are like The Rocky Horror Picture Show in that they are all about the audience participation. This one was especially good because besides the usual things the crowd is supposed to yell, the audience at this panto yelled out funnier lines than the dialogue, and even the actors couldn't keep a straight face at times (no pun intended).

Wizard of Oz at the Elgiva

The Wizard of Oz pantomime was better than I expected. I am told that it is not the typical play that is done as pantomime, but they stuck pretty closely to the script and added quite a bit of audience participation, especially at the end. The kids, including Mr. B loved it. I forget what it is like being around a small child. On our walk to the theatre, Mr. B asked questions as varied as did I think the flying monkeys in Wizard of Oz were scary to how long I think it would take to walk around the world. It was a real treat.

The Saturday Before My Flight Home

I forgot how a six year old’s mind works. Yesterday I asked L if I could take Mr. B to the local panto if I was able to get tickets. The performance is 5:30pm this evening, but at 9:00 this morning there was a knock on my door and Mr. B asking what time the panto started. I told him it would have to get dark before we went. I am interested to see this show. Over breakfast the others were telling me that the signs may say we are going to see The Wizard of Oz, but that’s just a jumping off point for the usual pantomime characters.

After the show we are having a dinner since we are all going our separate ways for the holidays. My housemate N will be moving back to New Zealand after eighteen years in the UK. We are all so excited for him. In honor of his homeland, he is cooking lamb for dinner. I’m responsible for the “pudding”. He’s requested Apple Brown Betty, which is what I made for my Thanksgiving dinner and his lady friend is making a homemade custard to go with it. So I will be peeling apples until my hand is a claw this afternoon. I fly out in the morning and cannot wait.

Panto and Pudding

Since I was coming in on the train to London, I took the afternoon off yesterday to do some Christmas shopping and found myself walking around not able to make a decision. Instead I was thinking about what a terrible gift giver I am. As I headed home on the tube, it was obvious why I had felt so fatalistic earlier, a migraine was setting in.

Two things that fascinate me about Christmas in England is this dessert they call Christmas Pudding, which of course to us Americans, is no pudding at all. Our friends at Wikipedia have an interesting entry I'll attach here. I think next year, when I have a kitchen of my own I'll give this a go. Right now it just sounds disgusting.

The other thing is panto or pantomime. Everyone here assumes that this is a universal tradition, and I am here to say that it certainly is not. I had been planning to see one before going home for Christmas but I am running out of time. This may have to wait until next year as well.