'The night when anything can happen...and usually does'

Saturday night was the last night of this season’s York Panto. It’s Berwick’s 30th, (and he did miss a couple of years back in the 80’s), and David’s 21st. For me, I guess it’s about my 25th panto, as I didn’t come in right at the beginning, and I can’t remember how many last nights I’ve seen.

You have to get the tickets by ballot, usually in about March, and there was a bit of a panic last year, as this time it was limited to four tickets per household. As there’s a core of 6 of us who go, that could have been a bit of a problem – thankfully, between us we secured 8 tickets.

I’m the only one of us who goes twice, once to see the show, and then to see what happens on the last night, when the crew play all sorts of jokes on the cast. The actors look of fear, when the audience start to laugh and they can’t yet see the reason, is a joy to behold. This year we had rather fab seats in the stall. The last night audience doesn’t need any warming up. From joining in the chorus of ‘Babbies and Bairns’ before the curtain goes up, we’re into it.

Every year, the audience have a ‘script’ to follow, which seems to get more complicated year on year. This time we had two pages, and also had to put on a mask at one point in the show. We’re pretty slick after years of practice:

Everyone leave the stage screaming when Dick arrives. Dick is confused.
Dick: My popularity appears to have declined
Us: We still love you!

Dick, standing before Old Mother Shipton’s Petrifying Well*: Should I go in?
Us: No!
Dick: Should I let Old Mother Shipton go in?
Us: Yes!

It was fabulous, all the Eurovision references just as funny as before, but this time performed by a band who were dressed as highwaymen in Act 1, and as a Rock band in Act 2 – must have been very hot in those wigs. Best gag of the night was probably the sight of the Artistic Director and the Chief Executive running screaming across the back of the stage when Berwick said ‘I’ll just have to go on till I’m seventy’.

At the end, he always announces what next year’s (this year’s!) show will be.

‘Humpty Dumpty – we’ll be keeping the title, and there’ll be an egg’

It’s enough to bring us all back for more.

*A real place, honest.