Half the fun of a pantomime is knowing what comes next.  (“Oh no it isn’t!”—“Oh yes it is!”)

But where did pantomime come from?  What’s its peculiar history?  Dames (who aren’t women), principal boys (who are), pantomime horses, audience participation songs, double entendres galore—there’s nothing like the riotous anarchy that’s a pantomime.

Profession pantomime artiste Ian Gledhill takes us on an affectionate exploration of its colourful history from Italian commedia dell’arte via C19th music hall to the family shows loved by millions today.

Ian Gledhill’s varied career has taken him from designing underground railways as an engineer for London Transport, to appearing in pantomime with Julian Clary. In between he has worked in travel and tourism, music publishing, television, and especially the theatre, where he has been an actor, director, set designer, stage manager and opera translator. His main interests include architecture, history, transport and classical music, especially opera and operetta.