Problem
I just learned from the Lord Mayor OF London's Lord Mayor Of London Show website that Lord Mayor of London Dick Whittington was a real person, and very popular. He was mayor three times. But he didn't have a cat.
Oh, dear, I just had to correct spell check - or my inattention. I found I had typed Duck Whittington. It's one of those days. What a dreadful thing to discover, just before London's theatre season when all the children are going to see pantomimes.
I cannot tell a lie. I'm the one who wants to reveal that reindeers don't really race through the sky. Santa Claus did not wear a red coat until the extremely smart artist drawing an advertisement for Coco-cola turned the green coat into red.
The Russians have Grandfather Frost.
If you want to see Whittington's cat, the cat's small statue is half way up Highgate Hill, not terribly exciting, unless you are a photographer.
On the other hand the Dick Whittington pantomime is typically English. In fact, pantomime is very English. Even though pantomime's favourite subjects include Cinderella and Prince Charming, which is French from Perrault.
You can visit a chateaux associated with Perrault in France.
I mustn't complain. Santa has universal appeal. So does Cinderella. Nobody minds that she isn't real. Children love the happy ending. Adults like the symbolism and the rags to riches tale. Aladdin is from the Far East. Disney has added a new dimension to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.
Here are some of the opportunities this year at London major theatres.
Also check London's suburban theatres such as Harrow Arts Centre, which has The Wizard of Oz from Dec 16-28 2017. Others theatres are at Watford, Uxbridge, Greenwich.
- Aladdin at Richmond Theatre. ...
- Cinderella at The Broadway Theatre. ...
- Cinderella at Hackney Empire. ...
- Dick Whittington at London Palladium. ...
- The Flint Street Nativity at Upstairs At The Gatehouse. (A new one this year.)
- Jack And The Beanstalk at Lyric Hammersmith. ...
- Peter Pan - The Arena Spectacular at SSE Wembley Arena. ...
The supermarkets have started displaying Christmas crackers, invented in London, copied from the wrappers of French bons bons. I am reminded of the English poem, which ends Pippa's Song by Robert Browning: God's in his heaven, all's right in the world.
Here are the traditional items you can find already in British supermarkets, and they come from all over the world.
Iced Christmas cake.
The Christmas tree - a Norway spruce.
Stollen from Germany.
Yule logs from France.
Panettone from Italy and Spanish speaking Venezuela.
Places to visit:
Dickens House, London, England
Event lists for Pantomimes:
https://www.visitlondon.com/things-to-do/whats-on/theatre/pantomime#9b6ZY92KLfubXXsA.97
https://www.timeout.com/london/theatre/christmas-pantomimes-in-london
Supermarket websites:
http://www.marksandspencer.com
http://www.sainsburys.co.uk
http://tesco.com
http://waitrose.com
https://direct.asda.com/george/clothing/10,default,sc.html?cmpid=ppc-_-george-_-ggle-br-_-Brand-_-asda%20direct
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Christmas.htm
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Please look at my new website
http://www.luxurytravelforless.co.uk
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