16th October 2025
The Thame Players pantomime sells out every year and Camelot :The Panto!, this year’s pantomime, is likely to be no exception. Indeed, pantomimes are extremely popular all over the country as Christmas approaches. But … how did pantomime originate? And how did the pantomime dame become a central character and such a vital part of the show?
You can find out the answers to these and other questions by coming to the Players Theatre on Sunday 26th October to hear Tony Long give an illustrated talk on the history of the pantomime dame. Tony has played every pantomime dame at Thame Players since 1984 and is uniquely qualified to tell ‘her’ story. No pantomime is complete without its dame. Providing much more than comic relief, she’s the heart, soul, and sparkle of the show. With ‘her’ over-the-top costumes, cheeky one-liners and corny jokes, the dame commands the stage.
Tony’s talk traces the origins of the pantomime dame from ‘her’ beginnings until the present day. You will hear about the dame’s origins in commedia dell’ arte, a form of Italian theatre originating in the sixteenth century featuring dance, music, tumbling, acrobatics and a cast of mischievous characters. Tony will reveal how the role of the dame developed through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, taking in performers such as Joseph Grimaldi, the world’s greatest clown, and Dan Leno, one of the most famous music hall performers in the later nineteenth century.
This fascinating talk will guide us through to the present day, when pantomime has become the ultimate comic vehicle, with the dame at its heart, played by many famous and talented actors, from Stanley Baxter to Julian Clary. To end Tony’s talk, you will experience a startling and unmissable finale, so ensure you get your ticket to see the show right away (oh, yes, you must!).
