Is it too early to talk about panto?

OH NO IT ISNT!

As I write this 176 professional pantomimes in the U.K. have been postponed/cancelled. For me personally, this year will be the first year in a long time that I’m not doing panto as a producer? No dear reader, as the Dame. The astonishing thing about Dames is that a lot of them have “other jobs” the rest of the year. I produce and stage manage, a friend of mine is a long established playwright and there’s even a Dame who is a funeral director the rest of the year!

So why do we do panto? And why is it so important to our industry? Simply put, money. The old saying “the panto pays for Pinter” is very true. For a lot of regional venues, the pantomime is a considerably large percentage of their annual income and profit, meaning pantomime quite literally keeps the buildings open and the lights on.

Years ago, Michael Harrison (West End Producer and the Executive for Qdos Pantomimes) said to me: “Whatever happens the rest of the year, I know I’ve got panto to rely on for my income”. And that is why many of us, myself included, take to the boards each Christmas. This year would’ve been my 7th professional pantomime and my 4th as Dame. 

Panto is completely unique. From a business point of view, the legal and financial ways it works are completely different to your usual play or musical. We plan the panto around 18 months - 2 years in advance so we know what title is going to which venue and make sure there are no clashes in titles or gaps. Casting can also start that early, there’s even panto performers who have multi-year contracts so they know they’ll be doing panto for at least 3 Christmas’ in a particular venue or company.

But panto is also unique in that it brings with it it’s own mysterious issues and antics. One of the best being the bizarre publicity stunts. One year, the comic and I attended a business breakfast, a large gathering of heads of business from across the region. “You’re up next, as soon as this presentation on Syrian Refugees is over.” That’s not an easy act to follow! One year, we were heading to the local children’s hospital between shows, however no one told the taxi drivers who they’re passengers would be. Not only is it difficult getting a 6ft Dame in a car but it’s even more difficult with a taxi driver in hysterics!

Nothing can prepare you for the crazy antics of panto or the unpredictability of the audience. I once came out to do my Act Two opening, looked down to speak to my “audience boyfriend” only to be told he left at the interval...well, there goes half my jokes for the rest of the show!

Like it or hate it, pantomime is an integral part of our industry. It’s often a person’s first experience of live entertainment and for many, it is their only trip to the theatre each year. For our performers, it is often their first job out of drama school and also an integral part of income for our industry. It’s also a skill in itself. Panto requires all the basics of musical theatre, mixed with the ability to deliver comedy, ad lib comedy if required and, for myself, do a full costume change in under 20 seconds. The stamina to do 2 or 3 shows every day is intense and with panto also being consistently high energy, it takes a determination and a lot of self care. 

Sadly, with so many venues and pantomimes not operating this Christmas, only time will tell how the lack of festive fair will affect our regional venues.