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Holiday hilarity compliments of Theatre Britain
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Little Red Riding Hood opens November 29.
When was the last time you were encouraged to boo and hiss – loudly – at the antagonist in a theatrical performance? If you lived in England, the answer would probably be last year; here in Dallas, maybe never. Unless you’ve had the unique pleasure of attending one of Theatre Britain’s past panto performances, that is.
A panto, short for pantomime (but not to be confused with a performance by a mime artist) is a holiday play based on a traditional fairy tale complete with silly songs, over-the-top performances and plenty of audience participation. Every panto has a few essential ingredients: the Dame, who is the central comic female character and is played by a man; the principal boy, who is the lead male character and is played by a woman; the villain, whom the audience is actively encouraged to revile and boo at every opportunity and the ghost scene. The humor is silly and exaggerated and kids adore it; there is also an element of bawdiness for adults to appreciate.
Theatre Britain recreates this centuries-old British theatrical tradition annually in the KD Studio Theatre. This year’s offering is Little Red Riding Hood and runs from November 29 through December 21. Performances are on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with additional shows on Wednesday, December 18 and Thursday, December 19. Some shows sell out early, so book your seats now.
As a bonus, British brand snacks are on offer at the concession stand during intermission to add to an authentic British experience.
You don’t have to have children to enjoy going to the panto, but it helps if you’ve still got your own kid inside. Come prepared to laugh and sing along. This isn’t theater for stuffed shirts.
(A little self-promotion: this year my artwork will be on display during the run of the show.)
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