Why is panto a Christmas tradition in the UK?

Panto, short for pantomime, has become a staple of British Christmas celebrations but surprisingly its origins are neither British or Christmassy. It has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, which was celebrated in December and involved dressing up as the opposite gender, swapping roles, and having a lot of fun.

The word ‘pantomime’ comes from the Latin ‘pantomimus’, which means ‘actor who plays every role’. The Romans also had a tradition of performing plays called mummia, which were based on stories from Egypt.

How did panto come to Britain? What are some of the earliest examples of panto in Britain? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue.

First Broadcast: 14/12/2023

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