Foundations of the Good Old Panto
The good old British panto settled into its role as a Christmas family tradition in the late 19th century — exactly the period when Irene Mawer was growing up (born 1893). I don’t know whether she was taken to pantomimes, but it seems likely. And as a child, before her theories of movement had formed, she probably joined in with the good‑natured shouting just like everyone else.
What interests me is how her later life complicates that picture. As an adult, Mawer insisted that every gesture must have intention, and she valued discipline, clarity, and social correctness. Which is why her deep affection for Commedia dell’Arte initially surprised me. On the surface, the Commedia can look chaotic — improvised, physical, bawdy and crude. But, in fact, underneath lies a strict framework: stock characters, codified movement, and a disciplined technique.
And this is where the connection becomes clearer. British pantomime is not simply a noisy Christmas diversion; it is a direct descendant of the Commedia. The exaggerated characters, the physical comedy, the audience interaction, the Harlequinade roots — all of it comes from the same theatrical ancestry that Miss Mawer admired.
Seen through that lens, the Christmas panto looks different. Beneath the glitter and the chaos sits a structure she would have recognised. Whether or not she enjoyed pantomime itself, she probably appreciated that it carried traces of the stagecraft and presence she valued so highly.