The Pantomine

I was four years old when I was taken to my first Pantomine.  Aunty Mary and Uncle Frank next door were Methodists and their chapel used to run trips on the bus/Charabanc all through the year.  David my brother was about 9 months old when Aunty Mary asked if she could take me to the Pantomine in Coventry.  It was a big adventure for me as I had never been to a live Theatre before never mind up so late.  It was magical and breath-taking and I have never forgotten in.  That is when I fell in love with live Theatre.  The Panto was "Cinderella".  At that time I did not know the story, but I certainly fell in love with it that night and all the lovely costumes.  I had never seen anything like it and of course the audience were asked to boo when the ugly sisters came on or call out "he's behind you".

It is funny what impacts on you as a child.  Going to the pantomime certainly did with me.  I have been a big fan ever since although it is some years since I have been to a live panto.

I think panto is thoroughly good old fashioned family fun one where families can go out and have a good belly laugh together.  Remember that families that play together stay together.

I also think that it helped me with English language and also in theatricals and dance at school.  I went to good old style Infant and Junior schools and it was only when I went to secondary school that I ended up going to a new modern school where there were no walls between the classrooms and where they taught a new curriculum.  I was not terribly happy there but we moved anyway and I ended up going to a traditional Lincolnshire Secondary Modern which changed to a last year Secondary Modern School/Comprehensive school when I was in my third year at senior school. Approximately 46 years ago.   We were the guinea pig year and it is now some 43 years since I left school.

However going to the panto at a very early age gave me a love of live theatre and I go whenever I can.  Somewhere else to escape for a while rather than in a book.  My Dad also shared this love as did my mother and we went to a lot of local musical productions held annually by a local society.  All amateurs but so much passion and love went into their performances which really brought their characters to life.

Equally the school I went to ran regular trips to the West End to watch plays such as "John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert" starring the then a relatively unknown Barbara Dickson.  It was brilliant - see here http://www.willyrussell.com/bert1.html

We also went to Jesus Christ Superstar, Godspell, and various other productions as one of the Teachers was prepared to drive us in the school mini bus and drive us home again.  A lovely social end to our last year in school.  Happy days.

So if  you get a chance to go to a Panto this year.  Go on do it.  I certainly would.

Catch you soon.

Pattypan

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