What is a Pantomime?
A pantomime tells a story, an old story, often a children's story like " Cinderella", "Dick Whittington and His Cat", or " Alladdin and His Lamp". A pantomime is full of music and dance, but it is not an opera or a ballet. There are often clowns and animals in the pantomime, but it is not a circus. A pantomime is... a pantomime. A good pantomime is very funny, but there is often a lesson in it too. Good people have to fight had people, and always win in the end. So children learn about Right and Wrong and True Love. And they have a good time in the theatre. They can laugh, shot and sing. It's all part of a real pantomime.
Pantomime appeared in the ancient world of Greece and Rome. The ancient Romans ate and drank a lot and danced in the streets during a big winter festival. Women wore men's clothes and men wore women's clothes. In a modern pantomime they do the same too.
The word pantomime comes form Greece and Rome too. Pantomime was the Latin name for a special king of actor. Such actors never spoke but used their bodies, faces and hands to tell a story. This has always been a part of pantomime.
In the 16th century groups of actors used to travel round Italy and France. They told stories through words and mime. The characters were always the same - Harlequin, a poor but clever young man, Columbine, a pretty girl, and Pantaloon, her father. He is a nasty old man and has a servant Clown. Harlequin loves Columbine and wants to marry her. Pantaloon says "No", but the young people run away together. Pantaloon and Clown try to catch them, but Clown is really helping Harlequin. Together they play a lot of tricks, on the stupid old man and he never catches the young livers. Harlequin has a magic stick, so he can quickly change people and things. Tricks and quick changes are an important part of modern pantomime.

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