Tradition of panto continues
About the article
This is a digitised version of an article from The Cayman Compass's print archive. Occasionally, the digitisation process introduces transcription errors, or other problems.
See the article in its original context from January 1992.
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In the words of producer Penny Phillips, a panto (pantomime) is "any fairy tale or nursery rhyme turned into an even more unbelievable story for the stage". Requirements include the casting of a female in the "principal boy" role, plus a male playing a comic female role. Satisfying these criteria in Snow White are Brigitte Smalling as the Prince; Colin Wilson as Dame Dumpling and Tony Rowland as Fairy Dewdrop. The names of the latter characters are not found in Grimm's original version, another indication that pantos include an "almost anything goes" premise.
Other stock devices involve the adaptation of well-known songs, jokes with local references and audience participation, usually in the form of an invitation to hiss the villain or warn some unsuspecting soul of impending danger.
Pantos began in England in the 1880s, according to Penny, but the form did not reach Cayman until 100 years later.
"I always wanted the Cayman Drama Society to do a panto, but I was told it probably wouldn't go down well -- it wouldn't be understood," she revealed this week.
"So I waited till I was president and went ahead with 'Jack and the Beanstalk' in 1981". With Meg Paterson as Jack and Judy Rutty as the principal girl, plus an impressive beanstalk, that choice proved to be a good introduction to the panto for local audiences.
Since then, other pantos have included scripts based on Cinderella, Sing a Song of Six Pence, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty and Aladdin, among others.
Snow White features a cast of over 20, with a mixture of stage veterans and newcomers, most notably Maureen Parker in the title role and seven young schoolgirls as the dwarfs.
Caroline Beresford-Wylie is the Wicked Queen; Nical Carter, her minion; Mike Parker, the bumbling good guy. Adding to the appeal such productions usually have for children, there's even Leo the Lion, played by Christine Hetley.
Alan Hall, himself a considerable stage presence, has taken on the task of directing this latest venture by CDS. The play is set to run through 25 January. Tonight's champagne gala begins at 7:00 pm. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday curtains are 7:30 pm; Saturdays, 6:00 pm.
