UK Pantomime? Should we be covering panto? Yes or No.

UK Cabaret managing editor Mark Ritchie examines the possibility of running a seasonal pantomime supplement within this publication.

At the very outset of our publishing adventure in the summer of 2014, I made it abundantly clear that this publication will cater solely for cabaret and light entertainers. I suggested that my definition for what we ought to be covering within UK Cabaret should be, anything which is performed on a UK stage that does not involve actors.

The agent John Mills and agent and producer Tony Peers are both UK Cabaret subscribers and they both believe that covering the vast pantomime scene is something we should at least consider.

After all, many entertainers double-up as pantomime performers and there are elements of cabaret in many pantomime comedy and musical segments.

On the other hand, do we really want to be committing this fledgling publication to the kind of expensive blanket review coverage, commissioned by The Stage newspaper? The reviewers are paid small fees by The Stage for attending and reviewing hundreds of pantomime productions up and down the country. The considerable cost of providing this kind of coverage is offset by increased advertising sales and our friends in the acting profession clearly believe that pantomime is very much their field. I have even heard some thespians openly scoffing at the ’turns’, who find openings in what they see as very much part of the acting field.

So the question I am asking is what, if any coverage should we be publishing here in UK Cabaret on the pantomime scene? I would be very interested in hearing from our subscribers on this topic by e-mail please. I love to chat on the phone, but time is precious and your thoughts on e-mail would not be published, unless those sending the e-mails say this is to be permitted.

We have subscribers who also perform in pantomime, so I would be particularly keen to hear from you guys. Pantomime kings like Billy Pearce for example subscribe to this publication.

Right from the very beginning, as managing editor of UK Cabaret, I have been all too aware that my vision for this growing publication has to match up with the expectations and hopes of our readers. We will only ever publish material that is in the interests of a significant number of UK Cabaret readers.

We have purchased the technology which lets us know how many people are reading our on-line version of UK Cabaret and exactly what the readers are most interested in looking at.

Will you lend us your view on what you think on this topic? E-mail your views to mark-ritchie@btconnect.com and we will acknowledge your replies.