It’s almost the most wonderful time of the year. In our house, we are counting down the sleeps until the doors of December 1st on the Advent calendar reveal a much anticipated treat.
Now that our daughter is five years old, the importance of Christmas has just gone into sixth gear. She has been practicing for the school Christmas show for a couple of weeks now, and is very excited about getting on to a ‘real stage’. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
When I was in P2 The Convent of Mercy Christmas shows were produced on the big stage of the Academy, just down the road. My former P2 teacher Mrs Singleton often jokes that she was the first person to give me my big break. My role? Santy of course - my one and only starring role. I was Joseph or the narrator in every single play after that.
It seems to me that the scale of the school Christmas has rocked in recent years. Teachers allow their imagination to run wild and the children are fully on board. As is this parent.
As mad as I was about the Christmas plays, I didn’t ever go to a pantomime when I was a small child. Were pantos even a thing in the 80s? Oh no, they couldn’t have been. I remember watching very bad ones on the telly.
Read more: From Snow White to Beauty and the Beast: the best pantomimes in Northern Ireland this Christmas
Before I became a parent, I wasn’t interested, didn’t understand the attraction, and couldn’t understand the panto traditions some of my friends have had for years. They buy the tickets the minute they are available, and when the day comes, they have a Christmas day out with their nearest and dearest at the panto. One would be forgiven for reading ‘dearest’ in a couple of ways. A trip to the panto can be expensive, and due to huge demand, book early or prepare to be very disappointed...
We went to one panto last year. The child wasn’t so into it, but I think that might change this year. I, on the other hand, loved it. The jokes were silly, hyper local and brilliantly delivered. Set design and costumes were completely over the top too. If you can’t go OTT at Christmas, when can you?
Belfast’s panto offering is brilliant. As well as the established shows in well known venues, this year, for the second year running, Brassneck Theatre Company present a ‘People’s Panto’.
We went to one panto last year. I loved it. The jokes were silly, hyper local and brilliantly delivered. Set design and costumes were completely over the top too. If you can’t go OTT at Christmas, when can you?
The ethos of the ‘People’s Panto’ is to try and make the panto experience a little more affordable for all. Brassneck is a theatre company focused on platforming writers, actors and directors from west Belfast and by the looks of it, writer Neil Keery has written a panto that is full of that renowned west Belfast sharp wit and humour. Neil has become well known for his role as PSNI firearms officer McCloskey in Blue Lights. I am a big Blue Lights fan, and I love McCloskey. What he lacks in sense of humour, Neil has poured into this panto, and has surpassed himself. The press photos paint the picture.
In this version of Sleeping Beauty, ‘Our Ora’ – get it? - is living her absolute best life with her number one auntie ‘Fairy Up-Liquid’. Wee Ora loves singing but the Wicked Witch Mal Efficient plans to cut her career short by putting her to sleep.
We all know the fairy tale, and I’m very much looking forward to seeing Neil Keery in full panto gear, as he plays the fairy godmother. Judging by the photos, he has enjoyed every second of dreaming up this character, and the others.
The other star of this panto is the venue: St Comgall’s, one of Belfast’s hidden gems. Recently refurbished for £7.2m, the community hub on the Lower Falls is a short walk from the city centre. The former elementary school was built in 1932 but closed in the 90s. Now, the grade one listed building has been fully restored to more than its former glory, and hosts concerts, talks and plays, as well as having a few artists in residence. And from next Thursday, it will be home to the People’s Panto.
As December approaches and many worry about the cost of Christmas, hopefully the People’s Panto will make the Christmas sparkle a little more accessible for more families than usual.
