The Pantomime season is upon us - Oh, no it's not! Oh, yes it is! - and BritEvents looks at the history of pantomime, the traditions behind it and some of the best shows around Britain this winter.
By Lucy Middleton
BritEvents.com
Quintessentially British, the origins of pantomime date right back to the middle ages, drawing inspiration from the traditions of the Italian "Commedia dell'Arte" comedy shows and Greek morality plays.
Over the centuries, pantomime (panto) has been adapted in order to stay successful throughout the years, though there are recurrent themes that remain unchanged.
Pantomime is predominantly based on fairy tale or folk legend, with the most popular stories being Cinderella, Aladdin, Dick Whittington and Jack & the Beanstalk. As tradition dictates, it is crucial for the panto to have a strong storyline, with good battling against evil and ultimately defeating the 'baddies'.
Dating back to the medieval morality plays, the entrance to hell was stage left and the entrance to heaven was stage right, and to this day panto villains enter the stage first from stage left, followed by their adversary from stage right.
A pantomime dame is another show tradition, a continuation of en travesti portrayal of female roles played by male actors in drag. They are larger-than-life characters with big make up and hair, and are often part of the slapstick element of panto.
Other conventions include risqué double entendre and audience participation such as calls of "He's behind you!" and being encouraged to boo the the villain which are now synonymous with panto performances and all part of the charm.
The folk tale of Dick Whittington is an interesting and amusing tale of a boy's journey from rags to riches thanks to his ratting cat. The tale is a popular story for pantomimes and promises to be fantastic fun for all the family. You can buy King George's Hall Dick Whittington pantomime tickets online safely and securely through BritEvents for a night to remember.
The Alice in Wonderland pantomime at Citadel Arts Centre in Merseyside transports the audience to a weird and wondrous land in which our young protagonist Alice has to navigate through to find her way home. Featuring your favourite characters including the Cheshire Cat, The Mad Hatter and The Queen of Hearts, this panto will be a great Christmas event for all the family.
The Sleeping Beauty pantomime at Carnegie Theatre in Cumbria tells an enchanting tale of a beautiful princess who falls into a deep sleep after having an evil spell cast upon her by a wicked fairy. Will her prince love be able to wake her with true love's kiss? This production is guaranteed to leave its audience spellbound.
A pantomime kingdom of creative choreography, fun and frivolity await audiences at the Jack and the Beanstalk Broadway pantomime, where the folklore legend Jack embarks on an epic journey after he is given magic beans by an old man. When these magic beans are accidentally planted, who knows what creatures lie at the top of the beanstalk?
Hoist the sails and shiver me timbers with Sinbad the Sailor pantomime performed at Pontefract Town Hall in Yorkshire, where Sinbad the sailor sets off on his 8th voyage on the seven seas. A pantomime packed full of adventure, laughter and nautical tunes yarr, me hearties! 
By Amanda ArnoldRonan Keating has announced on Twitter this afternoon that he will be performing a fourteen-date tou…
By Lucy MiddletonStaines in Surrey has officially changed its name to Staines-upon-Thames in an attempt to boost the town's image.
By Amanda ArnoldRobin Gibb one of the three brothers who made up the Bee Gees has lost his fight against liver and c…
By Amanda ArnoldThe Queen of Disco Donna Summer has died at the age of 63 after secretly battling with cancer.
By Paul ArnoldIn a unexpected move Liverpool's American owners have sacked manager Kenny Dalglish only a year afte…
By Paul ArnoldManchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has been left out of England's Euro 2012 Championship's 23 …
By Amanda ArnoldHere's hoping that summer will kick in soon as in less than 100 days the biggest and best festival i…
By Amanda ArnoldGuns N' Roses rocker Axl Rose has posted a gruesome picture of his bruised leg on twitter after pull…
By Lucy MiddletonBritish author, poet and playwright Michael Morpurgo will be among the guests at London Literature Festival 2012.
By Amanda ArnoldSpeaking after the Sony Radio Awards Ronnie Wood hinted The Rolling Stones could be back on the road…
Camden Market casts new spellFans of 'Twilight' would-be fairy queens, Goths, punks and anybody looking for a very special costume should head to Camden Town Market in London. for a unique and somewhat overwhelming shopping experience in England's largest outdoor marketplace. We present a mini-tour of the marketplace and some nearby attractions.
Visions - album review and band interviewBritEvents' Lucy Middleton catches up with Dave Evans of up-and-coming metal band Visions to chat about their debut album 'Home', their musical influences, the future of metal, and takes their first album for a spin to find out what they're all about.
Katie Fforde - Summer of LoveBritEvents' Amanda Arnold catches up with Katie Fforde, author of Summer of Love, and President of the Romantic Novelists Association to ask about her ideas, work and inspiration.
Famous British BridgesYou may think they're a little bit boring, but the some of the bridges that cross rivers, gorges, valleys and waterways have more history and heritage than you would imagine. We take a look at some of the most famous bridges in the British Isles, and cast a little bit of history behind them.
