In the words of the song, I really have been partying like it’s 1999 recently – I feel I am going out a bit too much to be honest, but I guess it’s Christmas. So… last night Christine had us round to her house for a spot of dinner, and as a surprise, presented us with tickets to go and see this year’s panto at the Grand Opera House, Peter Pan!
If you’re not from the UK, a pantomime is basically a Christmas tradition here, a play for kids typically with:
- a baddie (who you shout ‘Booooo’ at)
- a bit where the cast say “Oh yes it is” and the audience reply “Oh no it isn’t” (or a variation of that wording
- a bit where the baddie appears behind the cast and you have to shout “He’s behind you”
- some double entendres for the adults in the audience
- a dame (which is a man dressed as a buxom woman)
- usually at least one very good looking woman amongst the dancers
I have not been to a panto since I was about 10, and in fact to the theatre since I was 13, so it really kind of took me back to my childhood last night. The atmopshere in the Opera House was really good as well, because the place was packed with kids, who are no doubt up to high-doh about Christmas.
After the panto, it was time for more booze, so we went off to the Europa Hotel bar for some drinks (where we met the Pantomime Dame himself, John Lenaghan aka May McFeteridge), before gatecrashing Inside Out’s Christmas do at the Garrick Bar. Then we ended up in Thompson’s.
It’s a club I don’t frequent very often – I don’t really like it to be honest. Not sure why, but again I was on the dancefloor last night and couldn’t see my hand in front of me because of the smoke they insist on pumping out at random intervals. And the girls ain’t pretty there either.
Photos from last night (yet again the usual drunken ones and a blurred one G took of the panto) are here.
