December 13, 2016
On seasonal silliness and festive foolishness.
Is a jolly Christmas Pantomime part of your family's holiday? This fabulous British seasonal staple became a tradition in the Victorian era but reaches much further back, deeply rooted in the medieval commedia dell'arte tradition.
So why has it endured through the centuries? Because the future is uncertain. We have fears.
There's no better way to approach life's absurdity though, than to gather in the company of friends to laugh away those fears with abandon. In real life, the villains aren't always easy to spot and the heroes don't always receive their just reward. So it's a wonderful feeling to mirthfully cheer on that hero at the top of our lungs. To boo the nasty villain right off the stage together, secure in the knowledge that all will be right in the end.
If you've never experienced the hilarity of a Vancouver Island Christmas Pantomime, make this the year. Because as The Bard insists, the play's the thing...and it gives us hope that all will be right with us too.
