improvised pantomime!
End the year with something FUN! Online course to have some fun improvising entire pantomimes from scratch with fairy tale stories, audience interaction and thigh slapping characters!
Hey everyone it’s time for the Christmas panto course!
Oh no it isn’t!
Oh yes it is!
The Grinch has stolen pantos from most theatres this year but we can bring the fun online!
While exploring this seasonal theatrical tradition we will be playing with characters like The Ugly Sisters, The Prince, The Princess, The Fairy Godmother, Villain, Sidekick, Narrator, Buttons and The Panto Dame.
We’ll be looking at traditional Panto stories like Cinderella, Aladdin, Rapunzel and Wizard of Oz and using them to improvise new thigh slapping adventures from scratch!
We’ll be combining characters and story with traditional tropes like audience interaction (it’s behind you!!!), sing-a-long songs and celebrity guest stars to create a ridiculously silly online pantomime!
Most of all it will be a really fun way to end this crazy year!
No previous experience of panto needed but you will need previous improv experience. If you haven’t done improv before it is best to start with our beginners improv course.
dates, time, location
Dates: Every Monday for 4 weeks from Monday 30th November 2020. SOLD OUT
Time: 7pm – 9pm each week.
Price: £115.
Teacher: James Witt.
Venue: Online using zoom. All details for login for zoom will be emailed to participants on the day of the first workshop.
Ages: 18+
This course is online:
1. Book your place on this page.
2. On the day of the first workshop we will email you a log-in for the zoom chat.
3. You then click on the link in the email to join the zoom chat and enter the password.
4. You will just need a laptop with camera and internet connection, everything else will be in the link. Laptops work better than ipads and phones for improv over Zoom.
5. Don’t worry if you haven’t used Zoom before, we start the first session with an overview of how to use it.
james witt
James is co-director of Dreamweaver Quartet, Hoopla’s most popular show.
James appeared in panto ensembles throughout his childhood at The Mayflower Theatre in Southampton and used to write the ones at his school too.
His first adult pantomime came in 2005 at the Shanklin Theatre on the Isle of Wight where he appeared as The Prince in Cinderella. He has appeared in a further four productions of Cinderella since as The Prince again, Buttons and an Ugly Sister (twice).
He has also appeared in other pantomimes as Abanazer, The King in Rapunzel and the Wizard in the Wizard of Oz, performing in theatres around the country including The Courtyard in Hereford and Sheringham Theatre in Norfolk. He also directed the Music Box Pantomime in 2012.
He trained in Musical Theatre at Guildford School of Acting and Drama at the University of Birmingham.
He founded Dreamweaver Quartet in 2017 and has rapidly grown it to be one of London’s most popular improv shows.
Other improv and theatre credits include Brexit the Musical, NewsRevue, Music Box, Newsical the improvised topical news show, Shakespeare for Breakfast, Story Kitchen and This is Soap.
TV and film credits include Secret Diary of a Call Girl, The Infidel, White Teeth and Murder in Mind and also appearing as comedy idol Eric Morecambe in commercials.
In addition, James regularly teaches, performs and writes satirical short films with Hoopla.
faqs
Do I need to know anything about panto?
No. No previous knowledge or experience of pantomime needed to take part.
What is a panto?
Pantomime is a British theatrical tradition that tends to take place over Christmas and early New Year. It features fairy tale stories a really raucous funny family-friendly play with lots of audience interaction and big characters.
When do you send the zoom link?
On the day of the first workshop.
What do I need to take part?
Laptop with camera and an internet connection. Laptops work better than phones or ipads, but phones and ipads also work.
Can I transfer to this from my booking for a real-life course that has been postponed?
Yes. We don't have the tech on our website for you to do this automatically, but email [email protected] if you would like to do this and we will move your booking and payment over and refund you any difference.
Will this course keep going online if lock-down restrictions stop earlier than expected?
Yes. It will finish as an online course to make sure everyone from outside London can still make it.
Who is this suitable for?
People with previous improv or acting experience course who want to learn how to improvise a panto and have a good laugh!
Is there an end of course show?
Not on this course because we wanted to concentrate on panto and thought an additional show format on top of this would be distracting. However we are happy to help people find performing opportunities including many at our improv comedy club.
What’s the class size?
Around 12 people while running online.
What if I’m running late?
We’ll be starting each session at 7pm. This is an advanced course and we’re trying to form a team, so please don’t book this course if you are likely to be late on a regular basis.
What comes after this course?
We have a variety of other advanced improv courses that would be suitable.
How much improv or acting should I have done before doing this course?
You should have done at least our Level 1: Beginners Improv Course and Level 2: Performance Improv Course or a similar amount of improv or acting somewhere else. This course is not suitable for people totally new to improv or acting.