AN INCONGRUOUS ART

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22356, 29 February 1936, Page 10 (Supplement)

AN INCONGRUOUS ART

PANTOMIME IN BRITAIN RESTORED POPULARITY "Is it not odd that one of the most serious of nations should have a preference in entertainment for the absurd and the incongruous?" asks a writer in the London Observer. "Pantomime has dug itself into the soil of Britain and become the standard and popular brand of Christmas theatrical fare. It now ranks with the circus, that time-honoured favourite of emperors and beloved entertainment of the mob. "I may in quite a friendly and jovial spirit describe the art of pantomime as inexcusable, for it has no basis in logic. On the wings of fantasy it soars inexplicably and suddenly from broad daylight to midnight, from earth to fairyland, from sense to nonsense. It pro- ' fesses to be especially designed for children, but adults derive oven greater satisfaction from its inconsequences and insanities.

"Pantomime suffers periodically from anaemia. Seven years ago some experts suspected its complete demiso. The lack of interest was, rightly or wrongly, attributed to a neglect by the organisers of the primary appeal to children and a disregard of story values. For 'tell me a story' is still the chief cry of the nursery and of the classroom turned to play. Music-hall acts and specialities are necessary to enliven the action and to assist the variety of a pantomime, b;;t there was a tendency to swamp the fabric with turns of small interest to children, or familiar to the grown-ups. "It was the late Julian Wylie who first set his face against this practice and preached genuine 100 per cent pantomime in and out of season. Guided by him Old Man 'Panto,' started telling the raal fairy-stories once more, and found himself in consequence in a boom. Wylie, in his day, was an unchallenged 'King of Pantomime.' Knowing his task thoroughly ho had produced no fewer than 113 examples before he died.

"To-day pantomime has been restored in its full glory as the annual Christmas festival of the people. The competition of the moving pictures seems

to have left it untouched. The value of the pantomime to the legitimate theatre is enormous. How many regular playgoers of to-day owe their, staunch love of the stage to some early-seen pantomime ? "Drury Lane is the centre and traditional home of pantomime. It gives direct employment to 350 people. The Drury Lane production is habitually one of the gayest, liveliest and most allround of pantomimes. It will be seen during the 30 or 12 weeks of its run by over 300,000 people. It stocks 2000 costumes and seven miles of scenery. "The Lyceum has a similar record of triumph, and this year that magician of revue, Mr. Andre Chariot, has,set himself out at the Vaudeville to tell a straightforward simple fairy tale with comic trimmings ' The Sleeping Beauty.'"