2020 is the year of the audience! We are writing and choreographing and preparing a panto workshop for you, good people of Clallam. As this tradition warms up, we are bringing in more elements of traditional panto to mash up with our sharp American flare for the original. With that in mind, here’s an educational moment. Read it. I mean, it’s not like y’all don’t have time on your hands!
Panto… a Retrospective
Panto began in blah blah blah, Google it. Seriously. There’s a lot of information on this magnificent show style, with traditions dating back to Willie the Shakes(peare). It’s a lot of typing, and WE’RE WORKING HERE! Go and have a looksee. Spread out and do some research. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantomime
Find us at a performance and impress us with you’re new knowledge of commedia dell’arte.
Don’t actually do that.
Shout outs – who/what/when/where/why/how
- Cheering/booing/hissing – In panto, there are ‘goodies’, and ‘baddies’. Cheer the heroes when they do something good. Boo and hiss the baddies when they do bad things. (These reactions were common in Shakespearean theatre and are now an expected part of British pantos.
- ˜Oh no it isn’t, oh yes it is!’ – a routine chant used when an actor says either ‘oh no it isn’t’ or ‘oh yes it is’ and the audience is encouraged to shout the opposite. The chant is normally repeated three times, lead by the actor.
- ‘It’s right behind you!’ – when an actor is looking for something, or a villain is creeping up on a hero, and the audience can clearly see whatever it is behind them. A crowd favorite, every time.
- **Feel free to send us a short video of yourself practicing these shout outs. Say, to a cantaloupe. or your cat. There might be a free T-shirt in it for you… email: shannon.cosgrove45@gmail.com
- You might also be highlighted on this very website! You know, if you’re good with that.
We’ll have other moments of interaction with the audience. Show up ready for anything. We’ll keep surprising you, in the good way!
PA Panto 