In many countries of the world, the annual pantomime is a very popular event. Pantomimes are often performed during the Christmas period, although it is occasionally possible to see one at other times of the year. Big productions almost always sell out and young and old alike fill theaters across the country to join in the fun. But since there are only about a dozen traditional stories, and almost everyone has heard of or even seen them, why is pantomime still such a runaway success?

Well, the first thing is that it’s a lot of fun. Anyone can participate regardless of whether you are 8 or 80 years old, or whether you are sitting in the front or back of the theater. Another very clever thing about traditional pantomime is that it manages to appeal to all ages. There are silly jokes and hilarious costumes for little kids, lots of slapstick and for adults you often find a lot of ironic mild sexual innuendo. The other great thing is that although the plots are very traditional in nature, usually the lead actors will work in some contemporary references to keep things fresh. Add to the mix the fact that most pantomimes are pretty loosely scripted anyway and you have a recipe for fun, chaos and the unexpected as well.

Family scenes are always present, but the way they are portrayed varies from performance to performance. It’s not unusual to find many families actually rewatching the same production multiple times in a single season, just because each one is a little different. Finally, the pantomime, despite being sometimes ridiculed among the professional acting classes, still manages to attract a large number of stars to the stage. Famous names are often found working in the best venues, such as The Kings Theater in Glasgow, which is world famous for its pantomime running since the late 1800s.

However, whatever the reasons, it seems that pantomime will be with us for a long time. In these sad and depressing times, it’s a breath of fresh air and a night or two of pure escapism for young and old alike. May it prosper for a long time.