We sat down with Dan Clarkson to talk about his show Potted Panto, London’s longest running pantomime! Returning to Wilton’s Music Hall in December, get tickets here.
Potted Panto has been delighting audiences for years – what keeps it feeling fresh for you each time you perform it?
I feel one of the joys of any pantomime, is the ability to be able to sprinkle it with current pop culture, and Potted Panto is no exception. So although the core of the show remains the same we are always able to have so much fun adding in new references and the odd cheeky dig to a current politician or two! Plus I’m performing this year with ‘Gary Trainor’ and he’s a real life proper actor, he just played ‘Doc Brown’ in the Back to the future musical, and does actual vocal warm ups and everything! So he’s guaranteed to keep me on my toes!
The show is such a celebration of pantomime tradition – what do you think makes panto such a uniquely British and timeless form of theatre?
I think it combines everything we (the British) love, wordplay, absurdity and a healthy dose of self-mockery. No matter what’s happening in the world, panto reminds us that it’s okay to laugh at ourselves. We can cheer on the heroes and openly boo the villains, sing our hearts out without caring if we’re in tune, and let our inner child loose as we leave our worries at the door. It’s all of us coming together in this absurd yet magnificent Christmas tradition. Almost makes you proud to be British… doesn’t it?
Comedy timing is everything in a show like this. How do you strike the balance between clever writing and spontaneous fun?
Wow, clever writing? I’m going to tell my mum you said that, she’ll be so proud! I think the key is to make it so you can never really tell where the writing ends and the spontaneous begins. I once had an audience member ask if we just made it all up on the spot, that’s when I knew we’d succeeded! For me, the best comedy feels alive, it keeps the audience guessing, and sometimes even us too!
You’ve performed everywhere from London to Las Vegas – what feels special about bringing Potted Panto back to Wilton’s Music Hall?
Wilton’s is such a magical place to be, especially at Christmas. You can’t help but be caught up in the festive magic as soon as you enter the building. And being an old music hall, it feels so intimate, with the audience right there in on the fun, it’s like panto the way it was meant to be, full of laughter, chaos and Christmas spirit.
If Potted Panto had a message for the world right now, what would it be?
It would be to remember that no matter who you are, or where you come from, we all share one thing in common , we all love to laugh. So keep laughing, especially when things feel a bit upside down. Panto reminds us that no matter how big the villains get, good will always triumph (usually with the help of a silly song and a man in a dress). It’s a celebration of joy, chaos and community, bringing generations together for a shared laugh and a healthy dose of Christmas cheer, which I think we could all do with now more than ever!