Overview

This book offers an original analysis of contemporary British pantomime that addresses the question of how pantomime creates a unique interactive relationship with, and potentially transformative experience for, its audiences. British pantomime draws audiences into the story, an engagement with the hero, and an empathetic attachment to the success of the quest. Attention is held by the familiarity of the event, and the comedians draw the audience into a relationship of complicity as they unite to create the unique experience of the live interactive performance. At other times, the audience is diverted by the artifice of dance, the illusion of transformation and the surreal playfulness of physical and verbal comedy. The trick of pantomime is to maintain an effective balance between the intellectual appreciation of artifice, the chaotic complicity of interactivity, and the emotional engagement of story-telling. This is an accessible and valuable text that encourages readers to review their assumptions about pantomime and reconsider its importance as a popular theatre form.

Full Product Details

Author:   Millie Taylor (University of Winchester)
Publisher:   Intellect Books
Imprint:   Intellect Books
Dimensions:   Width: 17.20cm , Height: 1.20cm , Length: 22.90cm
Weight:   0.404kg
ISBN:  

9781841501741

ISBN 10:   1841501743
Pages:   208
Publication Date:   30 November 2007
Audience:   General/trade ,  General
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   In Print  
Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock.

Table of Contents

Prologue: 'What's Behind Them?' - Page 11 - Millie Taylor 1.'Money Matters' - Page 21 - Millie Taylor 2.'Chaos and Disruption in Slapstick and Slosh Scenes' - Page 33 - Millie Taylor 3.'Fantasy and Illusion in Design' - Page 51 - Millie Taylor 4.'Familiarity and Nostalgia in an Oral Tradition' - Page 67 - Millie Taylor 5.'Quests and Transformations in Pantomime Stories' - Page 81 - Millie Taylor 6.'Playing with Distance in Pantoland' - Page 91 - Millie Taylor 7.'Is She or Isn't He? Gender and Identity' - Page 105 - Millie Taylor 8.'Audience Participation, Community and Ritual' - Page 123 - Millie Taylor 9.'Topical Reference and the Unique Event' - Page 135 - Millie Taylor 10.'Artifice and Excess in Pantomime Comedy' - Page 147 - Millie Taylor 11.'Mixing Genres in Pantomime Music' - Page 161 - Millie Taylor 12.'A Utopian Community of Dancers' - Page 175 - Millie Taylor The Epilogue:'What's Entertainment?' - Page 191 - Millie Taylor

Reviews

"""Their [industry professionals] contributions provide a fascinating insight not only into some of the secrets and tricks that help produce the magic we see on stage, but also help complement and develop the ideas of the author. I would highly recommend it to anyone working in pantomime or teaching it in the post-16 sector."" -Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama ""It is rare for a scholarly work to be so handy with the nuts and bolts of performance. Millie Taylor has been the musical director of British professional pantomimes, and there has never been a better guide than this to the true priorities of those who stalwartly produce them."" - Peter Thompson, Editor of Studies in Theatre & Performance ""Altogether, British Pantomime Performance is an informative, thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable read. The clarity of the writing, the breadth of knowledge and the obvious enthusiasm of the author for her subject makes this an excellent resource for students, scholars and practitioners of British musical theatre. Given the relative lack of scholarship in this area, it may also help to stimulate further investigation into this hugely popular but largely under-appreciated art form."" - Miranda Lundskaer-Nielsen, Studies in Musical Theatre"

Their [industry professionals] contributions provide a fascinating insight not only into some of the secrets and tricks that help produce the magic we see on stage, but also help complement and develop the ideas of the author. I would highly recommend it to anyone working in pantomime or teaching it in the post-16 sector. -Journal of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama It is rare for a scholarly work to be so handy with the nuts and bolts of performance. Millie Taylor has been the musical director of British professional pantomimes, and there has never been a better guide than this to the true priorities of those who stalwartly produce them. - Peter Thompson, Editor of Studies in Theatre & Performance Altogether, British Pantomime Performance is an informative, thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyable read. The clarity of the writing, the breadth of knowledge and the obvious enthusiasm of the author for her subject makes this an excellent resource for students, scholars and practitioners of British musical theatre. Given the relative lack of scholarship in this area, it may also help to stimulate further investigation into this hugely popular but largely under-appreciated art form. - Miranda Lundskaer-Nielsen, Studies in Musical Theatre

Author Information

Dr. Millie Taylor began her career as a freelance musical director. She toured Britain and Europe with a variety of musicals including West Side Story, Little Shop of Horrors, Sweeney Todd and Peter Pan as well as numerous pantomimes. She is Senior Lecturer in Performing Arts at the University of Winchester, where her research focuses on British pantomime, musical theatre and experimental music theatre.

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