Pantomime prepares for Boxing Day opening
THE producers of the LTM National Pantomime are particularly interested, seeing that their show will open as it has done traditionally on Boxing Day, despite the current election campaign.
Work is well underway for Anansi and Goat Head Soup, which will be the 71st show in the Pantomime series, which has continued unbroken since the first one staged in 1941. “This is a remarkable achievement by any means,” says a spokesman for the Little Theatre Movement. “The Pantomime has made it to the stage for opening always at 6:00 pm on December 26 and we look forward to maintaining the unbroken record this year,” the representative continued.
This year’s show brings back Bredda Anansi, the folklore character which has African roots. Always “trickyfie and boasiefy” Anansi is up to his old tricks again, this time on a search to find his favourite dish, goat head soup.
The problem is that the main ingredient — goat head — is not so easy to find and will never be, if a certain determined goat in the community has his way. It makes things very hard for Anansi, his shopaholic wife, son Boothoo — “wid a haitch” and daughter Yeb-Yeb. When they find themselves in the community led by Miss Mac, a cultural “icon”, a young farmer, Marcus and a young lady named Rosey, who is Marcus’ friend, Anansi’s mission takes on a new dimension.
The Pantomime Company of actors, singers and dancers, under the direction of Bobby Clarke, with composer Grub Cooper and writer Barbara Gloudon, are currently in full rehearsals for opening night.