Our family was introduced to the art of the Christmas Panto two years ago in England. The best way to describe a Panto is crazy musical, appealing to kids while being full of hidden adult jokes and the occasional water gun. In other words, something that every family should attend each holiday season:

Traditionally performed at Christmas, with family audiences consisting mainly of children and parents, British pantomime is now a popular form of theatre, incorporating song, dance, buffoonery, slapstick, cross-dressing, in-jokes, audience participation, and mild sexual innuendo. There are a number of traditional story-lines, and there is also a fairly well-defined set of performance conventions. Lists of these items follow, along with a special discussion of the ‘guest celebrity’ tradition, which emerged in the late 19th century.

We hit the Robin Hood Pantomime at the Elgin Theatre in Toronto last weekend and it was two hours of fantastic entertainment and laughs. And surprisingly, Tiger Woods was the butt of some very funny jokes (how fast the high and mighty fall). The best being when the villain first came on to the stage (it is tradition that the entire audience must begin booing him the second he shows up in any scene) and he stood there, smirking and said ‘What? Not like I am Tiger Woods’.

The only thing that it was missing? Water guns …. (smile). Guess that is distinctly British. Well worth seeing.