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Pantomime in London
If you are in London in December you might like to try the knockabout farce of the pantomime. The playwright takes an old tale, and stages it according to outrageous traditions. The male lead is a woman. The female comic lead is a man. The audience take a big part, hiss the villain, and tell the heron where the villain is. There is a transformation scene before your very eyes. The best way in London is to choose a show, phone, and book a performance about two in the afternoon. Over the phone, too, you should ask where to find lunch, perhaps in a pub, perhaps in the theatre buffet, and how to get ton the theatre by tube. I used a helpful but incomplete web site, http://www.bigpantoguide.co.uk/london.php, and added three shows.
From Trafalgar Square theatres lie thus. A tube travel card covers local trains and busses, too: most pantomimes lie in zones 1 and 2, at 4 pounds a day North: Zoo, Islington, Jackson’s Lane, Millfield, Cockfosters East: Hackney, Stratford South East: Waterloo, Greenwich, Catford South: Norwood South West: Wimbledon, Richmond West: Hayes Jack and the Beanstalk Millfield Theatre Edmonton, London, N18 Northern line 1st Dec 2005 to 8th Jan 2006 Favourite tale of Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum, Jack and his magic beans. Website http://www.millfieldtheatre.co.uk/ Dick Whittington Northern Line London Zoo Regents Park, London 23rd Dec 2005 to 4th Jan 2006 Classic rags to riches story comes to London Zoo for the first time. Website http://www.pantoatthezoo.co.uk/ Snow White and the Seven Dwarves Broadway Theatre Catford Catford Broadway Catford SE6 4RU By train from London Bridge and Blackfriars 16th Dec 2005 to 8th Jan 2006 Favourite panto tale of banished princess helped by seven short persons. Website http://www.broadwaytheatre.org.uk/ Jack and the Beanstalk Hackney Empire 291 Mare Street, London E8 1EJ In East londfon,. Go by bus 2nd Dec 2005 to 7th Jan 2006 The story of hapless Jack, the magic beans, the castle in the clouds, the golden hen, singing harp and Jack’s encounter with Giant. Website http://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/ Cinderella New Wimbledon Theatre The Broadway, Wimbledon, London, SW19 1QG By District Line or by train from Waterloo 9th Dec 2005 to 15th Jan 2006 All star cast including Susan Hampshire (Monarch of the Glen, The Forsyte Saga), Richard Wilson (One Foot In The Grave, Naomi Wilkinson (5s Milkshake), John Barrowman (Dr Who) and Peter Duncan. Website http://www.theambassadors.com/newwimbledon/ Alice's Adventures in Wonderland The Rayne Theatre By Northern Line to Cockfosters 5th Dec 2005 to 4th Jan 2006 Adaption of Lewis Carroll's Alice books done in Chicken Shed's unique style. Website http://www.chickenshed.org.uk/ Pinocchio Theatre Royal Stratford East Gerry Raffles Square, Stratford, London, E15 1BN By Central Line 29th Nov 2005 to 21st Jan 2006 The story of Pinocchio, the puppet who wants to be a boy told in music and songs. Website http://www.stratfordeast.com/ Aladdin Beck Theatre Grange Road, Hayes, UB3 2UE By train from Paddington to Hayes and Harlington. 14th Dec 2005 to 14th Jan 2006 Classic Arabian Nights tale. Website http://www.getlive.co.uk/venues/venue.aspx?vrid=1125 Snow White goes to Kitchville Jackson's Lane 269a Archway Road, London, N6 5AA By Northern Line to Highgate 20th Dec 2005 to 1st Jan 2006 Snow White in a 1950's setting. Website http://www.jacksonslane.org.uk/ The Sleeping Beauty South London Theatre 2a Norwood High Street, London SE27 9NS From Victoria and London Bridge to West Norwood 5th Jan 2006 to 14th Jan 2006 King Cedric and Queen Semolina of Entertania have organised a big Christening bash for their baby daughter. All goes well until the Evil Carabosse turns up, a little miffed that she has not been invited. She puts a curse Website http://www.southlondontheatre.co.uk/ Aladdin - a new pantomime! Pleasance Theatre, Islington Northern Line Carpenter's Mews, North Road, London N7 9EF 29th Nov 2005 to 8th Jan 2006 In this magical new production, Aladdin and Matt the Remote Controlled Magic Carpet have to overcome hilarious obstacles, solve fiendish puzzles and thwart the evil Abanazer! Features Nigel Planer as the Virtual Genie. Box Office: 020 7609 1800. Website http://www.pleasance.co.uk/ Aladdin Old Vic, The Cut, Waterloo 0870 060 6628 7th Dec to 22nd Jan With Ian McKellen Website http://www.oldvictheatre.com/ Aladdin Greenwich Theatre By train from London Bridge and Charing Cross 020 8858 7755 5th December to 7th January A hilarious traditional pantomime, complete with glittering costumes, ingenious wizardry and an outrageous dame, is guaranteed to welcome in the Christmas season in style Website http://www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk/ Aladdin Richmond Theatre By District Line or by train from Waterloo 0870 060 6651 8th to 16th December With Simon Callow Website http://www.richmondtheatre.net/ Welcome to London Ben Haines [email protected] |
Thanks for this Ben - We are deliberating between a panto or the "theatre". This will really help. By the way my maiden name is Haines so I always follow your posts.
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By a strange coincidence, this article had me laughing out loud on the bus this morning:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/featu...653905,00.html |
And pantos aren't limited to London, almost every UK town's theater group (big and small) performs them over the holidays. Sometimes you'll even catch a celebrity performing. Many regular productions close down over the holidays so the actors can perform in pantos. Last year at the lesser of the York pantos we saw an actor that we now routinely see on US tv. We highly recommend the rock and roll pantomime at the Clwyd Theatr in Mold, Wales -- it is Dick Wittington this year.
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<i>We are deliberating between a panto or the "theatre"</i>
Why are you having to choose. If you are in London more than one night you can easily do both. Definitely take in a panto, and definitely go to a great play or musical. |
Janisj
Both would be great but we are only in London for two nights sandwiched betwen two overnight flights (YYX-LHR and LHR-DAR) so we may need one night of downtime plus DH is a chef so we wanted to have one slap up meal somewhere which brings me to my next question - Good restaurants not too OTT in terms of cost that will be open between on Dec 29 & 30th? |
Many thanks for the list.
May I add what great fun it is to attend the pantomime? Even the most jaded theatregoer would find the enthusiasm and laughter of the audience (mainly small childen in their holiday best and their elderly relateives) engaging. Perhaps it would be nice to go couple hours earlier, besides the show, it is also a good chance to see some London boroughs rerely visited by tourists, as most theatres are on high street, once I even found a Christmas market in Bromley South. |
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