A few hours ago I made my first foray outside the house since 18th Dec and the onset of the flu.
Having been talked into joining a joint Parish trip to "Cinderella" the pantomime on offer at our newly built local theatre, and mentally wincing in anticipation of the expected rowdy formula I found myself instead, caught up with the wildly enthusiastic audience as we followed the plot.
There is a sort of magic about this story, whether the romance of the prince and Cinders, the rags to riches aspect which appeals to most people, or the 'good overcoming bad' heroine triumphing over the ugly sisters,(and boy, were they ugly!)
The kids (and most of the adults) yelled and cheered, booed and hissed as though it really mattered, and perhaps, for a while it did.
Buttons was of course, appealing, Cinderella suitably pretty and the prince, handsome (at least from where I was sitting) and the "furry" godmother glittering and splendid. The sets and costumes were truly beautiful and for once in my life (I have always hated panto), I joined enthusiastically in the shouted warnings etc.
Perhaps I have had to live this long before becoming young enough to drop all inhibitions and suspend all cynicism and really see this hackneyed and time-worn tradition as it is meant to be seen.
Altogether, not a bad way to return to the outside world.
And what a fabulous night it was! For me, the Twelve Days of Christmas number was the best!
ReplyDeleteYes I agree. Hope the twins enjoyed it too.
ReplyDeleteSounds wonderful - both the performance and the fact of having a new local theatre. When I was a youngster my mother spoilt the panto formula, so I was brought up to have a superior attitude. Nowadays, like you, I can enjoy the tradition itself.
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