Guidelines

How do you write a pantomime script?

How do you write a pantomime script?

Here are Philip’s five tips for writing a great panto script:

  1. 1) Don’t mess (too much) with audience expectations.
  2. 2) Remember that you’re telling a story.
  3. 3) The do’s and don’t’s of improvisation.
  4. 4) How to keep it local.
  5. 5) What does ‘traditional’ mean?

What is the structure of a pantomime?

Pantomime Plot Structure A Village or Town Centre (Most panto scripts) The interior of a house or cottage. A ‘workplace’ (such as Dame Trott’s Dairy in Jack and the Beanstalk, or similar) A forest or woods (Think Cinderella and Snow White)

What makes a successful pantomime?

Good panto uses a wide range of music styles. Ideally you get old songs from earlier in the twentieth century, a bit of music hall, some folk, circus music, maybe classical and songs very familiar to children such as Nelly the Elephant or Yellow Submarine. The whole point of panto is that it’s a crazy mish mash.

How do pantomimes end?

Pantos traditionally end the plot two scenes before the end of the panto. The last scene but one is a community song. The final scene is the wedding and the applause for the actors and, maybe, a reprise of the best song. Keep the final scene short and sharp.

What makes a pantomime funny?

Modern pantomime includes songs, gags, slapstick comedy and dancing. It employs gender-crossing actors and combines topical humour with a story more or less based on a well-known fairy tale, fable or folk tale.

How is pantomime performed?

Pantomime is a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is encouraged and expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers. Pantomime has a long theatrical history in Western culture dating back to classical theatre.

Can pantomimes talk?

For starters, pantomime can be categorized as a form of communication. This is an important part of pantomime because mimes do not speak at all when they perform. One could say that pantomime takes the phrase, “actions speak louder than words”, to a whole new level.

How do pantomimes try to get the audience involved?

Audience participation is a very important part of a pantomime. The audience are encouraged to boo the villain whenever he enters the stage, argue with the Dame (who is always a man) and warn the Principal Boy (who is always a girl) when the villain is behind them by shouting out “He’s behind you!”.

What are the 5 key elements of a pantomime?

The main traditional elements of a pantomime are:

  • Principal Boy.
  • Principal Girl.
  • The Villain.
  • Good/Bad Fairy.
  • Comedy characters.
  • Panto animal.
  • Slapstick scene.
  • Singalong (involving audience)