When I told UK types this show was on my list, the initial response was pretty much unanimous: “Have you been to a panto before?” The answer is yes, once, ages ago - but it’s true we just don’t have anything like this at home. My closest comparison is “family-friendly Rocky Horror,” but even that isn’t quite right.
All that said, there was sort of an extra layer to the London Palladium show. It wasn’t just a panto, it was their panto - with a recurring cast, running jokes, and a very specific style. If I had to compare this specific production to anything, it would be Steve Allen’s 1985 Alice in Wonderland miniseries: there’s a story we all know, and there is a central title character, but really we’re all here to see a big group of very specific talents show off. The plot is secondary, perhaps even tertiary.
This is a positive review, incidentally. There was no plot, the skits barely hung together with each other by a thread, and I had a great time.
Sleeping Beauty was the conceit, with the story fast-forwarding almost immediately to Aurora’s manufactured meet-cute with the prince and her 18th birthday. Emily Lane and Amonik Melaco gave their roles the full Disney treatment, though Melaco (who was promoted from last year’s ensemble, apparently) got an extra dose of ribbing and comedy sketch work alongside the stars. If you aren’t familiar with panto, know that they aren’t the stars. They’re the excuse for everything else.
Julian Clary, Nigel Havers, Rob Madge, and Paul Zerdin are the Palladium’s panto mainstays. Madge (whom I first saw parodying Glasgow’s Willy Wonka experience on TikTok) appeared as the Diva of Dreams, a sort of host character who also filled the good fairy roles. Ignore the second act “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” parody lyrics - Madge was a centerpiece of the production and sone through it all.
Julian Clary absolutely takes the spotlight and is clearly very loved in the panto space. His costumes, like his comedy, were wonderfully camp and over the top. His double act with Nigel Havers was delightful. And while I’m frankly picky about ventriloquists, Paul Zerdin won me over. I absolutely understand why this core group returns, and is beloved, year after year.
As for the guests, they were a Doctor Who fan’s dream. Catherine Tate (as the evil Carabosse) and Jon Culshaw (as King Julian’s detective) went toe-to-toe, going “undercover” during Aurora’s birthday celebrations. For Culshaw, this meant impressions; for Tate, despite her early-show protestations, this meant playing some of her famous characters. I never thought I’d see Nan doing a rendition of “Don’t Stop Me Now” with a chorus of dancing grannies behind here, but here we are. Culshaw was on top form as always. And while Tate’s comedy isn’t for everyone, it’s absolutely for me, and I loved it. (She handled one enthusiastic heckler with more poise than I would have.)
The sets were unbelievable, with giant thorny vines filling the front of house at the end of Act 1 and huge moving set pieces covering the stage throughout. Despite the deliberately flimsy focus on the story, the key moment of Aurora pricking her finger on the spindle had one of the most gorgeous bits of set in the whole show. A fire juggling act toward the front, depicting the burning of all spinning wheels in the kingdom, was a close second.
While the show itself was great fun, it’s also worth noting that this was the Palladium’s 10th anniversary of panto, and the opening number showcased some great moments from its past. This included Madge performing a “One Short Day” parody coupled with footage of past performances, as well as actual set pieces and props from previous years. This opening alone showed me what I was stepping into - not just a tradition of panto in the UK, but a very specific cast and style with a positive reputation.
It was huge, it was noisy, it was silly, and I loved it. It’s vaudeville but better. It’s happy and unselfconscious and, while the panto I went to before was fun, this one helped me “get it.” It’s a bit bigger than local pantos - by which I mean a lot bigger (fire, a dozen costume changes, pyrotechnics in general) - and understandably a tougher ticker to get. But if you can? Do. Please.
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