A mix of merriment, music and mayhem makes panto a beloved British holiday tradition

Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Panto is as much a part of Christmas in Britain as turkey, tinsel and mince pies. Pantos is short for pantomimes. They are stage musicals that play at theaters big and small across the U.K. each winter. They mix a fairy-tale plot with topical references, slapstick, song, dance and double entendres. About 3 million people in the U.K. see a panto each year. They provide seasonal work to faded pop stars, television entertainers, the occasional Hollywood celebrity and many young actors including the A-listers of tomorrow. Michael Fassbender, Nicholas Hoult and Jude Law who played Humpty Dumpty are among those who fondly remember their time in panto.