FOCUS ON DICTIONARY AND TRANSLATION PRACTICE FOR THE SECTOR KNOWN AS CULTURE

WHAT DO WE THINK THE LATVIAN MINISTER OF CULTURE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR? USE THE COMMENTS BOX TO PUT UP YOUR IDEAS

PANTOMIME?

So, Ladies and Gentlemen! What is a Pantomime? Any ideas? Wnat to see one? Well, here are some clips - and by the way Stephen Mulhearn [a major UK TV star who see in some of these clips was interviewed by students at the school in England where I worked]

CLASSIC PANTOMIMES ARE - ALADDIN, SNOW WHITE, CINDERELLA, SLEEPING BEAUTY, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST, PUSS IN BOOTS, JACK AND THE BEANSTALK, PETER PAN AND DICK WHITTINGTON [WHO EXISTED IN REAL LIFE AND BECAME MAYOR OF LONDON!!!].

WHAT MAKES UP A PANTOMIME?

There are several features and characters that are essential to make a good pantomime. Usually, the show will include the following:

Principal boy
Principal girl
The villain
Good/bad fairy
Comedy characters
Pantomime dame
Panto animal
Singalong
Slapstick scene.

ALTHOUGH EVERY YEAR NEW PANTOMIMES ARE WRITTEN TO INCLUDE TOPICAL MATERIAL THE STORY IS BASICALLY UNCHANGED - SO THE AUDIENCE MORE OR LESS KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO SEE BEFORE THEY GET THERE.

AND THE CLEVER PERSON'S EQUIVALENT -

THE LIGHT [COMIC] OPERA

'LIGHT' MEANS - NOT INTELLECTUALLY CHALLENGING BUT NOT AS 'COMMON' AS PANTOMIME. AN ARTFORM MADE FAMOUS BY GILBERT & SULLIVAN [VICTORIAN COMPOSING PARTNERSHIP EQUIVALENT OF RICE & WEBBER OF THE 1980-201X] AND THE SHOWS WERE STAGED AT THE SAVOY THEATER ON THE STRAND IN LONDON.

PRODUCTIONS INCLUDED - COX AND BOX / HMS PINAFORE / IOLANTHE / PATIENCE / PRINCESS IDA / RUDDIGORE / THE GONDOLIERS / THE GRAND DUKE / THE MIKADO / THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE / THE SORCERER / THE YEOMAN OF THE GUARD / THESPIS / TRIAL BY JURY / UTOPIA, LIMITED