Aladdin pantomime in Qualicum Beach
Panto time is here! For those who’ve never been to a traditional Christmas pantomime, it’s a bit difficult to explain in words. Imagine being in a movie theatre and wanting to jump up and boo at Darth Vader or cheer wildly for Hans Solo – well at a pantomime you get to do just that. In fact, if you’re not participating you’re considered a panto-pooper or a histrionic-humbug, and that includes grown-ups. The other great tradition of these vaudevillian-style productions is that the male lead is played by a female and vice versa.
Now it just so happens that Central Vancouver Island is a hotbed of this old English tradition, so you’ve got quite the pick of pantos, including the Echo Players in Qualicum Beach. They’re doing Aladdin this year from Dec. 18 – 31 at the Village Theatre. BTW, Aladdin is one of the most popular pantomime stories of all time.
