Which food is used as a magic word in a pantomime?

Answer 1

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'PANTOMIME'- from the Greek, meaning 'An Imitator of things'. Originally it meant a performer, not a theatrical style. The performer would mime, often accompanied by music.

In Great Britain Pantomime can only mean one thing- a festive entertainment, mostly late Victorian in origin where women often play the heroic male role, and men play the 'Dame' role, a comedian in skirts.

The origins of pantomime go back to ancient Rome , in theatrical performances often bawdy and rowdy that were banished by the onset of Christianity. The word pantomime means something different to residents of the United States- to them, it means a 'Mime', a performer who needs no words to express himself. America takes the literal and original meaning of the word. The British know it affectionately as 'Panto', a mixture of Fairy story, spectacle, song and dance with much emphasis on audience participation. We owe this to our 'Music Hall' roots. While America had Vaudeville and burlesque, the British had Music Hall that eventually became 'Variety'.

Pantomime in the British Isles is an ever changing art form- it has throughout its long existence taken the best bits from various styles and theatrical fashions and always bows to current and popular taste, whilst still maintaining its 'traditional' core and format. Here is how that came about………