As we get nearer to Christmas the pantomime season will be upon us once again. Pantomime continues to thrive, despite its imminent collapse having been predicted almost every year since it was invented. A curiously British phenomenon, pantomime seems to have developed from an inter-mingling of Italian commedia dell 'arte and British music hall. The most popular pantomime is Cinderella, followed by Aladdin, Dick Whittington and Snow White.

Pantomime should always include slapstick, broad physical comedy, but a slapstick was originally a hinged piece of wood carried by Harlequin. When he used the stick to slap another character, a loud crack would be heard making the blow seem much harder than it was - an effect now usually achieved with the help of a well-primed drummer. It is also suggested that the loud noise may have been the signal to change the scenery, since transformations were also a part of Harlequinades. It would be important that only Harlequin should give this cue or disaster could follow: perhaps the origin of the superstition against clapping backstage.

There are many traditions in pantomime; the villain, for example, should always enter from Stage Left and then be followed by the fairy on Stage Right. These positions date back to the locations of Heaven and Hell in the medieval mystery plays. The fairy should always transfer her wand from her right hand to her left as she speaks for the first time; and the final rhyming couplets in the script should never be spoken in rehearsal but only on the first night.

The Theatre Royals at Covent Garden and Drury Lane were once the homes of panto, and in the early nineteenth century as much as a thousand pounds would be spent on a production. A large pantomime today will cost as much as £250,000 to put on and costs are covered over several years as the production visits different theatres. Aladdin is the choice of the Parish Players this year, and will be a thoroughly traditional production with a cast of 35 who have been hard at work rehearsing since September. The Parish Players have a rather smaller budget - and the tickets are cheaper too!

Aladdin, of course, comes from the Arabian Nights, although the pantomime version is mostly set in China. The first production was in 1788 at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, and the villain was first named Abanazar in 1813. During the 1850s, Aladdin's mother was first played by a man. This was at the time of the clipper races when different companies raced each other to get the tea home quickly, in boats like the Cutty Sark. Twankey was the name of a popular tea at the time, and so it was used as the Dame's name - a bit like calling her Mrs Nescafe today. During the 1860s, Chinese laundries developed in London and Liverpool, and Widow Twankey gained a laundry and a second son called Wishee Washee. The two magic characters, the Genie of the Lamp and the Slave of the Ring, come from the original story, although Aladdin no longer has only three wishes.

Much more about pantomime can be found on the Web at www.its-behind-you.com, an informative website run by Nigel Ellacott and Peter Robbins, eminent pantomime dames who are appearing this year at the Mayflower, Southampton. The Parish Players production of Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp by Peter Denyer will be performed from Thursday 2nd to Saturday 4th January 2003 at 2.30pm (except Thursday) and 7.30pm. Tickets are available from Michelle Payne (8542 9884)

Chris Abbott 

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