h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Shadowbane, I have copied the comments not addressed in post 29, and added one more (tip: open another window so you can edit the entry at the same time as checking points, and possibly a third to compose a scathing reply to the points you disagree with )

>>note *all* double quotes (") need to be replaced by single quotes(')

It has survived all manner of dismals ()>
It has survived all manner of adverse criticism (perhaps)

bellow have phased > below have been phased

*new* Grim Brothers' > Grimm Brothers'

Examples include the Roald Dahl's "Revolting Rhyme" versions > Examples include Roald Dahl's 'Revolting Rhyme' versions

In traditional fairy tales they are as much of a bimbo as they are in the story. >
(perhaps) In traditional pantomimes they are as much of a bimbo as they are in the original fairy tale.

When playing the King it is always best to think of Brian Blessed. Who, ever since he appeared as Richard IV in "Blackadder" has come to define comedy kings. >
When playing the King it is always best to think of Brian Blessed. Ever since Blessed appeared as Richard IV in 'Blackadder' he has come to define comedy kings.

tool whoes origins > tool whose origins

eg. "Darcon were'nt keen on Nursey cos she ain't no Venus but she loves him cos he's got a big....... scroll" >
eg 'Darcon wasn't keen on Nursey, 'cos she ain't no Venus, but she loves him 'cos he's got a big....... scroll' (altered punctuation)


"Cinderella" and "Dick Whittington" proves > 'Cinderella' and 'Dick Whittington' prove
They > These two (to emphasise why they prove music is unnecessary)
Greece Lightning > Greased Lightning (perhaps? The song from Grease yes?

"Rubbish! > 'Rubbish!' (missing apostrophe)

likely to be familiar with Morcambe and Wise > likely to be familiar with Morecambe and Wise (Morcambe)

Sorry to be picky just keep telling yourself it will be worth it when a scout recommends it and it eventually gets to the front page!

Pimms

I like this article, it's simple, it's fun and communicates perfectly the authors enthusiasm for the subject.

Nice!

Oh and as for spelling, I cheat and use IEspell a free spelling checker for internet explorer!

I'm surprised you haven't made more of the hero, Shadowbane. It's usually a female dressed as a bloke with lots of thigh slapping. The best I ever saw was Cill Black, who made a brilliant prince, and was great at talking to the audience too!

The original heroines in the fairy tales were far from bimbos - innocents - yes, but not bimbos. I grant you that as played in modern pantos they tend to be that, though.

There's an excellent link to Fairy Stories here; A429978

Oops! I meant Cilla Black!

http://www.btinternet.com/~nigel.ellacott/palladium.html (see 1970)

Just been going through thid thread and there seem to be a fair few suggestions/comments which haven't been taken on board. You've also had some good suggestions for links, too. Here's another.

http://www.spotlightpublications.com/pantomimes.htm

Okay what do you think I ought to take on board? I probably have noted the comment down somewhere to work on later. I haven't got much time to edit this in between writing for my website www.freewebs.com/aipcp (sorry to plug it again but I couldn't resist it and it is encouraging people to put on shows for charity!)

Shadowbane,

I've had a quick look through the thread, and I think there are points till be be addressed in posts 3, 5 (principal boy), 11, 12, 29 and 41.

It's good policy to link to other Edited Guide entries, so a link to the Fairy Tale entry, which you can do like this: fairy stories.

Sounds like you're ordering a chinese meal! I'll get on to it right away!

Well I've done most of the suggested alterations but how am I going to incorparte all of the wonderful web sites you guys suggested? It seems such a shame that I can't think of anywhere to put them after you went to all of that effort to find them!

Oh yes and I haven't made much of the hero because I usually play the villian and in writing I spend more time with his fiddly speaches. Take this extract "Dick Whittington's Wonderful Treasure Island" for example.

SMOLLET: Well that is good news Mr Silver!

DICK: Maybe not!

SMOLLET: Excuse me?

DICK: Captain Jack told me to beware the one legged man! (Uneasy slience. The principle has just slagged off a cripple!)

SILVER: Did he indeed? Well for once he gave you some good advice lad! (With a slight chuckle) Beware the one legged man! (With a hint of anger) Beware the one legged man who got his legg snapped off by a ticking crocodile maybe, because he's not a nice person whereas I, a good honest sailor who had his leg blown off by a cannon whilst fighting for queen and country, am!

What do you think?

I'm not trying to be cheeky here, but I thought I'd look at the etymology of 'pantomime' starting with a definition search. All the definitions I have found referred to a 'panto' as a dumb play, which I took to mean wordless rather than stupid; although they may not be mutually exclusive attributes.

So, what's all this stuff about lines and speeches? Is there something fundamentally wrong with all dictionaries, or does this refer to something altogether different like a farce? Why would something like the plays being discussed here be referred to as a pantomime?

"Writing a panto storyline usually involves juggling the Disney version with the real one as Disney have now covered almost every fairy tale in existence. Thankfully they haven't covered 'Dick Whittington', 'Mother Goose', 'Babes In The Wood' or 'Jack And The Beanstalk' yet! However many fear it is only a matter of time before they do! This is particularly annoying to those writing a 'Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs' (or Dwarves if like Tolkein you're touchy about the spelling of vertically challenged persons who work in mines and grumble a lot) as the Dwarf's original Grimm Brothers' names were all altered in order to dumb the show down for the American public"

a) why do you have to include any reference to the disney version in your panto? Why not make it different?
b) Disney have copyrited the dwarves' names, so they shouldn't have any bearing whatsoever on the names of the dwarves in a panto
c) I don't think you can say 'thankfully they haven't covered...' as that is personal opinion.

"Speaking of 'the Big Match a Trilogy of Two Parts' it may be the only pantomime which has replaced the rhyme of the Narrator's lines with rap."

I seriously doubt that - I've seen it done as a rap a few times.

"It is also 'the last living folk art in Britain!"

Really? What about morris dancing? What about am dram?

1. Which pantos have you seen with rapping Narrators? Examples please!
2. Pantomime developed from mimed plays which were narrated by a harlequin follow the link for more info!
3. Morris Dancing is a bunch of total twerps jumping around in dodgy costumes not an art folk or otherwise.
4. For all their faults Disney are very good at setting out simple plots well. They are often used as inspiration or structure guides for pantomimes. The names were changed from the orginal story and as far as I know were not copywrited. I know that some audiences actually complain if a pantomime doesn't match the Disney version and I have first hand experiance of this! Belive me confronting a burly Disney fan accompanied with a chorus of wailing children with the fact that Walt Disney never used an original plot for his feature films is not a nice experiance! I'm not saying I disagree with you I'm just saying in my experiance people find it harder to acept that Disney screwed the story up than the fact that Linoel Bart screwed up the story of Oliver!
5. Can I say "thankfully in the oppinion of this researcher" or some such comment?

Morris Dancing may well be a bunch of total twerps jumping around in dodgy costumes, but I am sure that the practioners of it would feel differently.

As would you if someone described pantomimers as a bunch of total twerps prancing around in dodgy costumes.

Please note, I don't personally believe either of those statements, but the Edited Guide is supposed to be inclusive, and so you should make room for opinions other than your own.


Geggs

Hey!!!
I take exception to 3.) Morris Dancers are not twerps. (Well individually they may be?) Morris Dancing is about the only true folk dancing that England has left! It must be a Celtic thing, as they have similar groups doing similar things in the north of Portugal, where folk dancing as a whole is still very individual to each region.

I think there may be a necessity for an entry on the origins of Pantomime, as it is so purely an English theatrical eccentricity.

Watermusic

Well don't expect me to write it! It looks extreamly complex!
Okay I retract my comments on Morris dancers but the quote about the last living folk art was taken from a website suggested in this conversation thread! If you would like me to remove it or change it could you come up with some suggestions for a replacment. Espacily as it is a link! What I want to know is how I can intigrate this mass of adresses into my article?

Oh yes and have I made anymore typos whilst rewriting my article?

And can I say "thankfully in the oppinion of this researcher?"

I don't see a problem with that. I could be wrong though. And just so someone doesn't have to point it out later - there's only one p in opinion.


Geggs

Thanks mate! Now what about the link. Shall I change it to "acording to (long website name I can't remember) pantomime is the last living folk art in Britain"? Als where can I put this mass of links you've given me? (And do I need lots of links to write a good article?) I don't tend to like putting links in because they are time consuming and don't seem to be anything more than excesive icing on the cake!

Dudes!
I think I've solved the quote problem and adressed all of the points you have made. However I'm still not sure where I should put these links. A little help please!