01/11/2026
Pantomime didn’t become the show we know overnight.
It has evolved over centuries, taking influences from European comic theatre, music hall, fairy tales and variety, with each generation adding something of its own.
That’s one of the things we love about panto. It can move with the times while still keeping those familiar traditions that generations of families recognise: the comedy, the music, the larger-than-life characters, the slapstick and, of course, an audience that isn't expected to sit quietly!
Our own archive is full of reminders of how those traditions have carried on through the years, even as the shows themselves have changed.
How far back do your panto memories go?
