It’s panto season! (Oh no it isn’t…) 

 

Okay, we’re sorry. Terrible jokes aside, this December we take a look at one of the quintessential British traditions of the festive season: the Christmas pantomime. It’s a format that has endured for many years, and one that puts the audience at its centre. For decades, the panto has provided an important first experience of live performing arts for many young children in the UK. But where did it come from, and how has it survived?