Scotland's best pantomime to be honoured for first time
Theatre critics have agreed to recognise festive shows after nearly 20 years of their annual awards with a new 'outstanding pantomime' prize.
They have hailed Scotland as 'the natural home of pantomime' thanks to the long history of star performers like Stanley Baxter, Jimmy Logan, Andy Gray and Gerard Kelly, as well as modern favourites including Elaine C Smith and Johnny McKnight.
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The new prize will recognise 'the best overall panto' produced in Scotland each year.
And the panto award will be sponsored by one of Scotland's leading ice cream producers, Mackie's.
The prize will be presented for the first time at the annual Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland (CATS) at their annual ceremony, which is being staged in June at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh.
Elaine C Smith was recently honoured for her outstanding contribution to pantomime productions. (Image: Andrew Billington Photography)
Michael Cox, co-convenor of the CATS judging panel, said: 'Scotland has long been considered the natural home of pantomime, from the early-20th-century music hall productions to the heyday of Stanley Baxter, Rikki Fulton, Jimmy Logan, Una McLean and Johnny Beattie, who then passed on the baton to acclaimed performers such as Elaine C Smith and the late Gerard Kelly and Andy Gray.
'In recent times, writers and performers such as Forbes Masson and Johnny McKnight have further added to Scotland's panto reputation by rethinking the artform for the 21st-century.
'Our new award recognises the breadth of talent that goes into making the perfect panto.'
Co-convenor Mark Brown added: 'The judges are excited to add the category of outstanding pantomime to our annual awards.
'We are grateful to Mackie's – a Scottish company whose ice cream is so closely associated with a trip to the pantomime – for sponsoring the inaugural panto award.'
Stuart Common, managing director of Mackie's, said: 'We are proud to sponsor the very first Outstanding Pantomime award at the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland.
'Pantomime and interval ice cream go hand in hand, making up a cherished part of the Christmas tradition for families across Scotland.'
Tickets for the awards ceremony, which is open to the public, go on sale on May 1 from the Traverse Theatre website.
The new award for best Scottish pantomime has been announced weeks after Elaine C Smith was honoured for outstanding achievement at the UK-wide Pantomime Awards.
Johnny McKnight, one of Scotland's best-known panto creators, delivered a prestigious lecture at Glasgow University in January on his long-time involvement with festive shows dressed in the costume of his character Dorothy Blawna-Gale, from his show The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
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