[Dixielandjazz] Re: Happy Every Day -- and the Holy-daze, too

[Jazzjerry@aol.com]

In a message dated 29/12/02 7:17:40 PM, jazzboard@hotmail.com writes:

<< Not true, dude! You can go to any tourist gathering place such as 
Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco or Times Square in New York and see 
budding pantomimers in their white faced get-ups doing their favorite 
pantomime schtick which is always being trapped in an invisible box which is 
relentlessly shrinking. >>

Sorry Bill,

To the Brits that is not pantomime. To put it briefly 'Pantomime' is a 
seasonal musical stage show based on one of six traditional stories including 
Cinderella, Alladin, Jack and The Bean Stalk, and 'Puss In Boots' in which 
the main characters include a beautiful girl, a handsome hero (played by a 
girl who must have gorgeous legs which go all the way up!), a old harridan 
(two in the case of Cinderella) (played by a man), a penniless aristocrat, a 
male servant (the main comedy role) a vile Baddie (male) who is hissed and 
booed by the audience wvery time he comes on stage, a good fairy who save the 
day with her magic plus various villagers of both sexes and usually a troupe 
of children who make up the chorus. Much of the comedy is based on either 
slapstick or topical gags and the love interest is sloppy and the music is 
certainly not original and can come from any source. It is really very 
difficult to explain fully and is a very British institution. Most of this 
country's regional theatres feature such a show at Christmas plus hundreds of 
small town and village amateur dramatic groups and for many it is the only 
time they ever visit a live theatre. The big theatres often rely on the 
profits from the pantomime to see them through the more serious theatre they 
present at other times.

Jazz content:- They can use OKOM tunes as well as anything else!

Cheers,

Jerry,
Norwich,
U.K.