#pantomime

#pantomime

Foreboding music begins. A scary green witch announces her arrival with a cackle. It's the opening of Wicked Witches, a British holiday-time play known as a "pantomime," at a North London theater. But soon after she walks on stage, it's clear the witch isn't happy with the audience. She says the audience is being too quiet, and should boo her as loudly as they can, because she is the "villain" of the pantomime.

The Christmas season is a time to cherish old things. Longtime relationships, roasting chestnuts over the fire - who does that anymore? - and here in the Bay, a merry-old theater style called pantomime or just "panto" for short. Stretching back at least to 18th-century England, panto is live theater that parodies the tropes of theater in a humorous, often musical way.

Potted Panto - the riotous 80-minute romp that squeezes seven pantomimes into one show - is currently offering discounted tickets for performances this month. Now settled into the wonderfully atmospheric Wilton's Music Hall, the West End's longest-running panto unleashes a rapid-fire cavalcade of gags as characters from across the pantomime canon hurtle into each other's stories. Its hapless double act careers from rubbing Aladdin's lamp to roaming Dick Whittington's London, all while making sure Cinderella makes it to the ball.

Plaisance Theatre Pantomimes and politics: Both thrive on performance, exaggeration and audience participation. In pantomimes, the audience boos the villain and cheers the hero; in parliament, political leaders are cast in these roles with MPs jeering. It's a comparison Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn understands. "Panto every day would be a good thing. Mind you, I work in Parliament so I get that already," he said.

Handel with care: There are many Messiah's to choose from this season, and we're looking forward to this one, with Director Lawrence Kohl leading the Pacific Chamber Orchestra in Handel's great oratorio. Four fine vocalists soprano Raven McMillon, alto Sara Couden, tenor Ricardo Garcia, and bass Matt Boehler are the soloists. Details: 3 p.m. Nov. 30; Bankhead Theater, Livermore; $25-$85; livermorearts.org.

Adele Condron-King, aka Twink, talks about mothering Sinéad O'Connor, Charlie Haughey being 'ahead of his time', challenging Gay Byrne, her grievances with The Late Late Show and her upcoming performance in the panto Cinderella with Sammy and Buffy

Mr Marc-Williams said: "I'm really looking forward to it. I do panto every year, but it's been a couple of years since I last played the Dame, and I've missed it."