Pantomimes are being performed in theatres, village halls and community centres throughout the land.
We all know what they are but to try and describe them to a visitor to this nation is more difficult.

A traditional Christmas play, loosely based on one of the fairytales or sometimes a mixture of a few of them, containing contemporary music and songs, some which the audience can participate in.

In it at least one man will be dressed as a woman, playing a female character and a woman is likely to be playing the prince, or lead male character. This is because it is funnier, and pantomimes were originally Mummers plays performed in manor houses by travelling players who were all male and had to take female and male roles.

Audience participation is vital, ‘oh yes it is!’ They expect to join in throughout by shouting ‘look behind you’ when the ‘villain’ appears behind the hero or heroine, and arguing the toss whenever the key character shouts ‘Oh yes it is, or oh no it isn’t!’ The audience will cheer for the heroes and boo or hiss at the villains, throughout. This includes adults in the audience, who seem to revert to childhood, as well as the children themselves.

Pantomimes run from December usually until end January, though sometimes mid February. Actors, TV personalities, pop stars and others take part in them and act as a magnet to encourage people to see the show.

Other sure events are that a couple of children will be invited to participate in something on stage and sweets will be thrown at the audience at the end.

They are quirky, eccentric, funny, full of contradictions and we love them. Maybe because in a way, they depict all the good, crazy aspects of Britain.