With reference to your editorial Adults only (TMID 11 January), may I mention these two quotes. The first reads as follows:

An absolute minimum of plot is used as the base on which to hang a feast of musical numbers, slapstick, audience participation, innuendo, and outrageous costumes, often all at the same time… (all) is generally sacrificed for as much booing, sing-a-long, smut and “it’s behind you’” as possible, together with some brilliant topical jokes, camp villainy, and a man in a dress. Several dresses, in fact. He throws in memories of his home town, some sly digs at other theatre directors, and masses of innuendo based on his character’s name.

And here is the second:

We may say of present-day Pantomime that the trail of the music-hall is over it all. I admit the extreme ability of certain music-hall comedians. I object, however, altogether, to the intrusion of such artists into the domain of Pantomime, and I do so because they, and others not so able, bring with them, so to speak, an atmosphere which it is sad to see imported into the theatre. They bring with them, not only their songs, which, when offensive in their wording, are sometimes made doubly dangerous by their tunefulness; not only their dances, which are usually vulgar, when they are not inane, but their style and manner and ‘gags,’ which are generally the most deplorable of all.

The first is a review from the BBC website of Sir Ian McKellen’s performance in this year’s Pantomime Aladdin. The character’s name, incidentally is Widow Twankey (Now what sort of innuendos can Sir Ian make of that, I wonder!)

The second is a quote by Mr. Davenport Adams, writing in The Theatre, for January 1882.

Plus ca change…

Chris Gatt

Mqabba