In the six years Dave Hitchcock has directed the St. LukeB次元官网网址檚 PlayersB次元官网网址� annual pantomime, heB次元官网网址檚 always started the show the same way.

B次元官网网址淚 ask the audience members to put up their hand if theyB次元官网网址檝e ever seen a pantomime,B次元官网网址� he said.

It used to be only a few would raise their hand, but the British-syle of musical comedy has gained quite the following. This year St. LukeB次元官网网址檚 Players will present its Alice In Wonderland pantomime for 12 nights in a 130 seat church, and tickets have been sold out for weeks.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 not many people raising their hand to say itB次元官网网址檚 their first panto anymore,B次元官网网址�  Hitchcock said. B次元官网网址淔or anyone new, I just tell them to do like the people sitting around them.B次元官网网址�

The audience is expected to cheer for the heros and boo the bad guys. ThereB次元官网网址檚 also a part where kids can get on the stage and sing.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a family show. ThereB次元官网网址檚 humour that will appeal to all ages,B次元官网网址� Hitchcock said.

A favourite character in every pantomime is the dame B次元官网网址� a man playing the role of a female. For the past five years, Mike Chadwick has been the dame for the St. LukeB次元官网网址檚 Players.

B次元官网网址淣obody else seems to audition for the role,B次元官网网址� Chadwick said.

Perhaps itB次元官网网址檚 because of the British stereotype that the dame is played by an old washed up actor that canB次元官网网址檛 get any other job. (Chadwick is quick to point out that he does get cast in other roles in productions throughout the year: B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 hit the bottom yet,B次元官网网址� he said.)

For Alice in Wonderland, the dame is AliceB次元官网网址檚 mother, who in this version of the story follows Alice to Wonderland to help defeat the evil queen B次元官网网址� that is, when sheB次元官网网址檚 not flirting with the men in the audience.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great fun,B次元官网网址� Chadwick said of his role. B次元官网网址淵ou get to be outrageous and make everyone laugh, and if you forget your lines it doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter.B次元官网网址�

Chadwick, raised in Britian where pantomimes are a Christmas staple, still remembers his first panto role. He was four-years-old and the bit involved several B次元官网网址渟trongB次元官网网址� men trying to lift what appeared to be a heavy weight and after nobody could move it, young Chadwick picked it up and carried it off the stage.

B次元官网网址淢y father was always in the show, and he forced me to be in it too because there were never enough men,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 got into acting for fear of the consequence if I tried to avoid it B次元官网网址� I guess I just stuck with it.B次元官网网址�

A similar pragmatism led Hitchcock to the directorB次元官网网址檚 seat. Also raised in Britain, he watched pantos every year until he moved to Victoria and couldnB次元官网网址檛 find one. So he stated putting them on himself, with the help of his wife Helena as co-director.

They spent a few years directing pantos for the Masque theatre company and continued the tradition with the St. LukeB次元官网网址檚 Players.

B次元官网网址淚 canB次元官网网址檛 imagine Christmas without a pantomime,B次元官网网址� he said.