The traditional panto will not be held for the second consecutive Christmas as preparations for the show start almost one year before – and there was no telling then what the COVID-19 situation would be like this festive season.

Charlie and the Chocolate Panto, by theatre company Masquerade, has been put on hold again, with a “calculated” decision to cancel taken way back in the “formative” months when the creative elements would already be in place, its artistic director Tony Bezzina said.

The panto process starts around February, with auditions, casting, script ideas, costume and set design already taking shape months in advance, while musicians for Christmas would have had to be secured by then too, Bezzina said.

“They had just about started getting back on their feet in terms of work and we could not engage them for December without knowing back then if audience numbers could be guaranteed,” he explained.

Earlier this month, theatre restrictions and protocols were relaxed, but it was too late for the panto – a costly, major undertaking that requires a full house and 22 shows to make it work.

Anything less would mean ending up out of pocket – a strain theatre companies know something about.

Masquerade have cancelled the show Matilda twice since the onset of the pandemic, resulting in a “huge deficit” as investment in marketing was lost and the cast had grown up – and out of their costumes.

In lieu of the panto, Masquerade is collaborating with the Manoel Theatre on Roald Dahl’s The Twits this Christmas, with Bezzina saying the aim was to “keep people in jobs” and “get bums on seats”.

The whole idea is for the public to gain the confidence to go to the theatre, and this was happening, slowly but surely, the panto director said.

“The theatre world is starting to see a bit of movement,” he said, referring to a number of shows at the moment and maintaining this augured well for the Maltese public.

“We are dying to put up the panto next year,” he said, adding it would need a tweak of the script as the jokes were now passé.

“It will be missed, but it has taken a break and will come back with a bang and audiences will flock to it,” Bezzina said optimistically.

The theatre world is starting to see a bit of movement

Acknowledging that panto was considered a Christmas “treat”, he insisted it needed to offer the same theatre experience to work, with full-on, shoulder-to-shoulder audience participation and interaction.

“Panto cannot be staged online. It needs the feel. The baddie needs to be booed at, and that is an integral part of its soul. At the moment, we cannot do this,” he recognised.

Bezzina was also cautious of the new COVID-19 variant that has been detected and could send things a step back. But he maintained the Maltese were very aware and ready to enjoy life with the necessary health measures.

The impact of a cancelled panto for FM Theatre was that the company would not be staging its own production before 2024, as three production companies had decided to alternate their pantos yearly on the national stage.

This meant a loss of revenue, said it managing director Edward Mercieca.

“Actors will miss it because it is a good gig and they can earn some money, but also because it is a long run with full houses, and no one would turn that down.”

On a positive note, Mercieca said Christmas without panto would normally mean a relaxed festive season after two consecutive years, although this year, FM Theatre was busy as it was nearing the completion of its fully-fledged performing arts centre.

‘Alison in Wonderland’ by Masquerade. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Had the pandemic never struck, it would have been the turn of MADC’s Beauty and the Beast at the Manoel Theatre this Christmas.

MADC chairman Martin Azzopardi said the theatre company had decided not to put up its show at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre anymore and return to the Manoel. But this was now scheduled for 2023.

He said the panto includes around 30 actors and 40 crew backstage, highlighting the consequences if one person tested positive.

MADC was currently focusing on its “COVID plays”, with restricted seating and limited production costs.

“Little did we know that things would change a couple of weeks ago, but little do we know how long for either,” Azzopardi said.

While Christmas without a panto was “sad”, he said quite a few productions were still happening over the festive period.

Panto dame on Times of Malta

Meanwhile, Times of Malta will be bringing a little bit of panto this Christmas as actor and renowned dame Alan Montanaro, takes on the role of ‘agony aunt’ Za Za La Bouche in the online Christmas section for five sessions, starting December 15.