Christmas Season, Panto Season

December heralds the beginning of the Christmas season. Aside from longer shop hours, Christmas carols and decorations, this month also sees the resurrection of the Christmas pantomime, more affectionately known as 'panto'

Feature by Eric Karoulla | 03 Dec 2013

The modern pantomime can be traced all the way back to the early Middle Ages, when the medium of theatre was used to narrate folklore-based tales in Mummers' plays. Over time, the artform has become a staple of the Christmas season, possibly due to its link with the winter festival convention of Twelfth Night during which gender reversal – and more widespread role reversal – took place.

As a consequence, the rules and conventions of panto are quite different to those of theatre during the rest of the year. Pantomimes are generally assumed to be for families with children and tend to be based on well-known fairytales (e.g Beauty and the Beast) or fictional characters (Dick Whittington), yet also tend to target adults through crude humour.

Additionally, they are extremely notorious for their participatory elements. Much like immersive theatre performances, audience participation is a standard part of the fun, and requires a certain willingness to play along and yell at performers. For those who don't like interacting with great dames – usually played by men in women's clothing – or booing at stereotypical Disney-like villains, it might be best to avoid the theatre at this time of year.

Admittedly, in spite of the popularity and dominance of the genre at Christmas, Scottish panto seems to be on a downturn. Venues with pantos in their programming are actually in the minority this year, pitted against venues hosting alternative Christmas shows. The two largest urban centres, Glasgow and Edinburgh, have four pantomimes between them.

It wouldn't be panto season without Random Accomplice's Johnny McKnight. The Tron's Peter Panto and the Incredible Stinkerbell, written by McKnight and directed by Kenny Miller, sees Peter Panto locked in an eternal battle against Captain New Look, while Stinkerbell has to deal with potential rival Wendy in the struggle for Peter's heart. In true panto fashion, there's romance, arguments, a villain to hiss at, and probably a dame (usually a man in drag) to rally support for the principle boy and his love interest.

However, multitalented McKnight is not performing in the Tron panto. He is actually starring in the Macrobert's Beauty and the Beast, which he has also written and directed. Looking at the renowned lovestory from a fresh perspective, McKnight merges outrageous humour with the day-to-day concerns about unemployment and popularity of showchoir.

Meanwhile, all-time-favourite panto villain Gavin Mitchell is performing in the second Glaswegian panto, Aladdin at the King's Theatre. Also featuring Karen Dunbar, the show follows the well-known rags to riches romance and promises many laughs.

Of course, when talking star-studded panto casts, it is difficult to compete with the SECC's take on Dick Whittington, renamed Dick McWhittington. Starring John Barrowman and the Krankies, the panto doesn't have to try very hard to please its audience, since it offers a few hours of pantomime royalty.

As much as there are people who love pantomime, there are also those who utterly despise it. Fortunately, the theatre world caters for all tastes at Christmas, because people who can afford it seek out that treat of going out to the theatre, and having variety seems vaguely important – if not for artistic reasons, then for economic ones.

The Arches – perhaps the Glaswegian venue that is expected not to have a pantomime due to its reasonably alternative demographic – hosts A Gay in a Manger. Featuring Adrian Howells as Grandma, Tranny and Roseannah's (Rosana Cade and Laurie Brown) Christmas exploits involve an X-rated cabaret-style happening to celebrate the festive season.

Meanwhile, the Theatre Royal sees the world premiere of Scottish Ballet's Hansel and Gretel. The first new Christmas ballet for the company in six years, it promises fantastical sights and sounds, acting as a showcase for Christopher Hampson's skills as a choreographer, and not just as artistic director. Admittedly, while ballet may not be as hilarious as panto, this is an exciting opportunity to see Scotland's national ballet company under new direction.

A more conventional Christmas show can be found further east. The Edinburgh Lyceum resurrects Dickens' classic novel A Christmas Carol. It tells the tale of miser Scrooge and the Christmas ghosts that show him the error of his ways and basically intimidate him into becoming a decent human being. After all, in order for him to be loved, remembered, and happy, he has to treat others with respect and help out those in need.

On the darker end of the spectrum, the award-winning show Ciara, written by David Harrower and directed by Artistic Director Orla O'Loughlin, returns to the Traverse. Acting as a grand finale to the Traverse's fiftieth year, Ciara tackles the historic gang culture of Glasgow and considers the consequences and implications of trying to negate family history and reject a family name.

At the same time, the Traverse programme offers something a little lighter and less intense for families with young children: Polar Bears Go Wild by Fish and Game follows two rebellious polar bears who travel the world in search of adventure and excitement.

An animal-themed Christmas is also forecast for the Edinburgh Playhouse, with its extended run of The Lion King. While not a Christmas show by any definition, the musical features amazing costumes, and offers up a simple, easy-to-follow narrative that makes it fun for almost any age. With a plotting, malicious villain in Scar, and Simba's clowning sidekicks Timon and Pumbaa, as well as his best friend and later love interest Nala, the show demonstrates what can happen when a musical is well-constructed and intelligently cast.

Of course, when talking Edinburgh theatre, it is difficult to ignore Summerhall. With its history as the former Royal Dick Vet school and its high level of artistic curation, it is understandable that the programming would not include your conventional pantomime theme. Instead, Summerhall sees Pianomime by Will Pickvance, attempting to reinvigorate pantomime and lift it out of its formulaic self. Also, the seventh episode of Anatomy titled Kill Your Traitor Heart returns, accompanied by Failure Lab, by Mary Pearson. This involves a weeklong performance workshop lab that culminates in a public performance, dissecting pop culture and thus demonstrating the failures of current social institutions.

With musicals, panto, Christmas shows, and experimental live art, Scotland's theatre scene seems to have it all. The question burning at the back of my mind, however, is: in the context of the Scottish independence debate that spread feverishly across the arts in 2013, is the Christmas cultural richness an attempt to escape from the politics, is it a distraction, or is it just a cultural showcase with political ends? After all, pro-independence parties are dying to demonstrate the country's cultural worth as an independent state, as can be seen from the introduction of the Legacy initiative as part of the 2014 Commonwealth Games. It seems Scotland's cultural authorities are looking to be remembered through exporting and externalising Scottish identity and culture when, in fact, it is proving extremely difficult to pinpoint what consitutes Scottish culture and what doesn't.