Pantomimes

If you think of Christmas in the UK you immediately think of the traditional form of entertainment, the pantomime.

This is not to be confused with just an Xmas play, like a stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol. No, there are standard stories, often based on fairy tale ideas, and standard elements that are included.

The ‘home’ of the panto is the London Palladium. They will have a big budget all-singing all-dancing presentation with high ticket prices and great demand, but many local theatres do something.

Mostly they are aimed at children (though there have been adult versions with lots of swearing, crude jokes but nothing too explicit) and run from perhaps the beginning of December to late January the next year. That could well be two shows per day.

If you go, there are likely to be school trips in attendance. We can’t say how well behaved (or otherwise) they will be. Usually noisy and smelly.

Stories include: Peter Pan, Aladdin, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk and Robin Hood. Oddly, there’s one about Dick Whittington, who became Lord Mayor of London, and his cat. Pop up to Archway and Highgate to see monuments to the cat and pubs and hospitals dedicated to Dick.

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Coming to London for Xmas

If you are thinking of coming to London, or the UK, for the Xmas period, to see friends or family, then fantastic, come, bring warm clothes and have a wonderful time.

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Boxing Day

No, it’s not a day for boxing matches. Boxing Day is the day you give your servants their gifts, in boxes.

It’s the day after Christmas Day ie 26th December. It is a bank ie public holiday.

You eat leftovers. Turkey with chips or turkey with curry or turkey in a sandwich.

You may get to see neighbours of family.

You may just be ill.

Shops may be back open and sales may have started. It was always a traditional tv news story that people had been queuing outside some big shop for five days just so they could get a fur coat for £20.

Food places may be available, though not all. Staff may be taking time off, or may just be hungover. Pubs should be open. Xmas fairs and Winter Wonderland will probably be open and looking a bit sad, so time to stock up for next year?

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