What's a pantomime? It seems to be somesort of national institution that everyone in the UK is familiar with

Question

I always thought it had something to do with guys painting their faces white and pretending to be inside a giant box. But I recently read that the late John Inman was a famous "pantomime dame." I don't know what that is but it doesn't sound like Marcel Marceau.

Answer 1

In the UK, a "pantomime" is a traditional family theatrical event or performance, usually most presented around holidays. The theme seems generally to be an adaptation of a favorite children's story or fairy-tale, presented with songs, dances, and extremely broad comedy, with very traditional audience vocal participation. (For example, a character is looking for another hidden character--he/she asks the audience, "Did you see him?", the audience responds, "He's over there!", or "Right behind you!"--the asker turns, the hider moves around behind him or her, etc..)(a lot of interaction with the audience--"Hello, Children!"--Hello, Puss-in Boots!")--Stock characters abound in these presentations, including two-person horse costumes, enormous geese, giants, ---the pantomime "Dame" is a male performer, dressed in overdone drag, usually as an old or strikingly odd lady, speaking in an outrageous falsetto and making naughty jokes, not always for the kids' benefit--John Inman would have felt right at home in this kind of part---
Think of Dame Edna, only much more so!

Answer 2

Pantomime is acting out a scene without any words or props, but only using facial expressions, gestures, and movements. There's a difference between mime and pantomime- miming is way more abstract and usually tragic in some way. Pantomime is usually more lighthearted and tells a story. Mimes (like Marcel Marceau, who I really want to see perform) might create an idea like "beauty", but in pantomime you create the illusion of an object. Like, for example, in pantomime if you want to create the illusion of going through a door, you might pretend to turn a door handle and then push the "door". I hope that helps!

Answer 3

Pantomime is when someone is acting like they are speaking without any props or anything. Like, in the play we're doing at school, one group of people talks while the other pantomimes a conversation at the side of the stage...

Answer 4

Pantomime is the UK is when a person dress in drag and preforms an improvised comedic skit. It's actually really funny a friend of mine did it once.