When the curtains open on Boxing Day for the start of this year’s LTM Pantomime, it will mark the event’s 70 anniversary.

This year’s pantomime, Blinga Linga, also marks Barbara Gloundon’s 27th as writer of what has become a cultural tradition.

Members of the media were privy to a sneak peak at this year’s production which is being directed by theatre practitioner, Bobby Clarke.

Blinga Linga , like most LTM ‘pantos’ takes a satyrical look at Jamaican life and adds music, movement and colour to create that wholesome family entertainment that Jamaicans have looked forward to for close to three-quarters of a century.

Director Clark notes that Blinga Linga examines the way in which Jamaicans have gravitated towards the ‘bling’ at the expense of, at times more important things in life.

From the snippets viewed, it became clear that the effect of technology on the Jamaican psyche, namely cellphones will be tackled in Blinga Linga as there was a hillarious musical number Tex’ Me performed by Pantomime regular Jacqueline Higgins. The ‘non-appearance’ of Tropical Storm Tomas also provided fodder for Gloudon’s script. Director Clarke however stopped short of saying who exactly the character, Don Dadda, is drawn from.

The production notes indicate that Don Dadda is the richest man in Nuff-Nuff Whatta Gwaan. He own the Blinga Linga Mall which he has named after his only daughter, who is suffering from ‘aloneship’.

Meanwhile the residents of another of Don Dadda’s holdings, So-So What a Gwaan, struggle as he threatens to raise the rent.

So with a lovesick daughter and trouble brewing in one of his holdings, Gloudon says the story comes to bump in true pantomime style.

— Richard Johnson