1. Origin: Greek pantomime emerged from the theatrical traditions of ancient Greece. It can be traced back to the 6th century BCE.
2. Characters and Plots: Greek pantomime performances often featured mythological characters, gods, and heroes, and depicted themes related to Greek mythology.
3. Use of Masks: Greek pantomime actors wore masks to portray various characters. The masks helped create larger-than-life and exaggerated expressions for the audience sitting at a distance in large amphitheaters.
4. Dance and Gesture: Greek pantomime heavily incorporated dance, physical movements, and gestures. Actors relied on these elements to convey emotions, stories, and actions without speaking.
5. Chorus: Greek pantomime performances often involved a chorus that provided musical accompaniment, sang, and narrated parts of the story.
British Pantomime:
1. Origin: British pantomime originated in the 18th century, developing from commedia dell'arte, harlequinades, and traditional folk plays.
2. Characters and Plots: British pantomimes usually revolve around popular fairy tales, folk stories, or well-known narratives, providing a fun and light-hearted entertainment experience.
3. Pantomime Dame: A prominent character in British pantomime is the "Pantomime Dame," a male actor dressed as an exaggerated and comedic female character.
4. Audience Participation and Sing-Along: British pantomimes are interactive, encouraging audience participation through singing along to popular songs, cheering for heroes, booing villains, and shouting phrases like "He's behind you!"
5. Slapstick Comedy and Jokes: British pantomimes are filled with slapstick comedy, gags, corny jokes, visual humor, and wordplay.
While Greek pantomime focused on mythological stories and used dance, masks, and gestures, British pantomime is a more contemporary form of theater known for its colorful characters, comedy, audience interaction, and light-hearted musical productions.