
Malta's Xmas Pantos: aimed at kids, but with adults in mind!
Today, most schools have broken up for the Christmas holidays. Staff parties start to ripple concertina-like over the island. What’s left of manufacturing companies and many offices prepare for the ‘Christmas shut down’. Perfectly-bland people drink too much and pour their lives out to strangers. It happens all over the world, even here.
Ask anyone with kids in tow, and the vast majority have tickets for the Christmas pantomine. Or pantomines, as since last year, we now have two companies rolling out boys in frocks, girls with swashbuckling swords and lewd dames. MADC has taken up residence at the MFCC with ‘Peter Panto‘ and Masquerade is at the Manoel with ‘Aladdin‘. Both pantomines kick off today and stay in production till the first week of January 2010.
Pantomines have a rich tradition in Malta, with the MADC panto going strong for over 30 years. The British legacy has gradually been superseded by a very Maltese version of the genre. At face value, the pantomime ticks all the traditional check boxes of English language, story-line, sing-alongs, dames, dancing, cross-dressing and overall family fun. But since the early eighties, the original script has been aimed at a local audience, and no opportunity is wasted to rib politicians, media personalities and society people, and most subjects are fair game (with the possible exception of the Church).
Things to look out for:
Audience Participation. People do get pulled on stage for ritual abuse, and get rewarded with a gift or two. Some parents see this as an opportunity to propel their offspring to the local version of Hollywood fame. If you don’t want to get roped in, avoid sitting by the aisle, as you’re then easy prey for a beady-eyed Dame.
Flying Sweets. Have a stock with you in case you’re accompanied by a young child who gets upset if the Dame does not throw some candy in his or her direction.
Length. Prepare for a marathon session. Last year’s MADC version ran for over four hours – far too long for most children’s attention span.
Foul-mouthed Dames. The most legendary one in recent years is Alan Montanaro (this year playing Hook in the ‘Peter Panto’). You need to understand a smattering of Maltese to get the full-gist of many of the ‘double-entendres.’ It can get a bit saucy, so be warned if you have your prudish Aunt in tow.
Peter Panto plays at the MFCC at Ta’ Qali from the 18th December 2009 to the 3rd January 2010. All shows start at 8.00 pm, with matinees on Saturday 26th December and Sunday 3rd January at 3.00 pm. There are no performances on the 24th, 25th and 31st December and the 1st January. Ticket prices start at Euro 10, with discounts for kids aged 10 and under. Click here to book online or call 79796232.
Aladdin plays at the Manoel Theatre from the 18th December 2009 to the 6th January 2010. All shows start at 7.30pm, except for Saturdays and Sundays, with matinees at 3pm and evening shows at 8.00pm. There are no performances on the 24th, 25th and 31st December and the 1st January. Check the Manoel Theatre site for ticket prices and availability.
More ideas for amusing the kid inside you over the Christmas period on this page.

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