juliet

How much do you know about panto, ooi? As I understand it it's not a feature of US theatre. I'm wondering here to what extent someone not familiar with the form would appreciate it; a lot of panto is about fulfilling expectations & playing up to the cliches, which I imagine would lose a certain amount of resonance if it was something you were new to. A lot of (most?) British kids get their first exposure to any kind of proper theatre via panto, which gives it I think more force than it would if you came to it as an adult. Not, I hasten to add, that I'm intending to put you off, if you're not familiar with it; more just cogitating aloud :-) If the Old Vic does another panto next Xmas I shall certainly want to go again.