Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Christopher Biggins

2009-05-27T19:41:51Z

MaryN: italics

'''Christopher Biggins''' is a British actor who's career has included both theatre and television roles.

Christopher Biggins was born in [[Oldham]], England in 1948 and later moved to Salisbury, where he began taking elocution lessons and joined a local theatre group. After leaving school he had small parts in a number of British sitcoms (''Porridge'', ''Some mothers do 'av em'') and later went to on to host the game show ''On Safari''. In addition he has also appeared in more serious television dramas, playing Nero in the BBC version of ''I, Claudius'' and Revd Osbourne Whitworth in the BBC adaptation of ''Poldark''. Biggins is most famous for his performances as a [[Pantomime]] dame, a role that he has filled in a variety of productions almost every year for the past 34 years. More recently he gained fame as the winner of ''I'm a Celebrity...get me out of here!'' in 2007 <ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/christopher-biggins-oh-yes-he-is-518257.html</ref>.

==Personal life==

Christopher Biggins was married to the Australian actress Beatrice Norbury from 1971 until their divorce in 1974. He first openly declared that he was gay in 1998, and subsequently entered into a civil partnership with his long-term partner Neil Twimaps in 2006<ref>http://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2007/12/02/biggins-my-life-98487-20191538/</ref>.

==References==
1. Nick Duerden,[http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/christopher-biggins-oh-yes-he-is-518257.html "Christopher Biggins: Oh yes he is!"], ''The Independent'', 4th December 2005

2. Frank Thorne and Kate Mansey, [http://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2007/12/02/biggins-my-life-98487-20191538/ "Biggins: my life"], ''The Sunday Mirror'', 2nd December 2007

Pantomime

2009-05-27T19:40:04Z

MaryN: Spelling.

[[Image:DamePerrieWinkle.jpg|right|300px|thumb|A traditional pantomime dame (Pic: Crowthorne Amateur Theatrical Society)]]
'''Pantomime''' (or 'panto' for short) is a traditional form of [[theater]] that is popular in the [[United Kingdom]] at [[Christmas]] time. It is usual for at least one pantomime to be staged in every British town or city in December and January.

All pantomimes share certain features, including a matronly 'dame' character played by a man in [[cross-dressing|drag]], an exaggeratedly evil but incompetent [[villain]], a final [[wedding]] scene, audience participation, songs and earthy [[humor]]. Most pantomimes use a traditional plot (often a [[fairy tale]]), such as ''[[Cinderella]]'', ''[[Dick Whittington]]'' or ''[[Aladdin]]'', but almost any well-known story can be adapted into a recognisable pantomime by incorporating the characteristic features of the form.

==Pantomime plots==
The vast majority of pantomimes take their story from a repertoir of commonly-used pantomime plots. These may be:
* [[Fairy tale]]s, eg ''Cinderella'', ''Puss in Boots'', ''Jack and the Beanstalk''.
* English [[folk tale]]s, eg ''[[Dick Whittington]]'', ''[[Robin Hood]]''.
* More recent well-known stories, eg ''[[Peter Pan]]''.

It is less common but not unknown for pantomime productions to adapt a story that is not traditionally used as a pantomime. For example, the Cambridge Footlights theater troupe has recently staged pantomime adaptations of ''[[Spartacus]]'' and ''Faust''<ref>[http://footlights.org/pantomime.html Cambridge Footlights Pantomime]</ref>. Even in these instances, the story chosen must be one that will be familiar to audiences.

All pantomime plots unfold along similar lines, mainly based around the interactions of the characters described below. Other essentials are that the story must involve conflict between [[good and evil]], and that it must end happily, with the villain defeated and the hero marrying his sweetheart, and the other good characters finding happiness in one form or another. If a story does not have a happy ending, or does not feature the required character types, it will need to be adapted to include these elements if it is to be performed as a pantomime.

==Characters==
All pantomimes feature all or most of the following stylized characters:
*The '''[[protagonist]]''' is usually a young man (though there are exceptions, eg ''Cinderella''), good-hearted but poor, who is caught up in extraordinary or magical events.
*The '''[[villain]]''' must be as evil as possible in every way, often doing evil for its own sake, mistreating his (or her) own henchmen, taunting the audience, and laughing at the sufferings and misfortunes of others. However, while the villain always has an extremely [[pride|elevated opinion]] of himself, he is often somewhat incompetent, and will inevitably be outwitted by the hero at the end.
*The protagonist always has a '''love interest''' who is pure and good-hearted, and may be the daughter of the villain. In some plays, such as ''Cinderella'', both protagonist and love interest are traditionally played by women, but this is accepted by audiences who are aware of the stylized conventions of the genre.
*There is always a '''buffoon''' to provide comic relief. He is a good-hearted simpleton, and often displays unrequited love for the protagonist's love interest (although this does not lead to conflict, as he is too shy to act on his impulses and simply pines to the audience when alone).
*The '''good [[fairy]]''' embodies all that is righteous and watches over the hero. She often plays little part in the action, instead greeting the audience at the beginning of the performance and acting as a kind of [[narrator]] between scenes, often speaking in [[verse]]. The exception is that she sometimes uses her magical powers to rescue the hero just when it looks like all hope has been lost - a kind of ''[[deus ex machina]]'' device.
*The '''Dame''': The most recognizable element of a pantomime, the dame is a caricature of an unattractive and slow-witted yet likeable and warm-hearted older woman. She is often the mother of the protagonist, and is always played by a man. The dame's costume is very colourful and elaborate, usually involving multiple layers of [[petticoat]]s and thick [[make-up]]. The dame is usually not involved in the main plot, instead providing light relief, bantering with the audience and pursuing relations with all kinds of unsuitable men. Much of the dame character's humor stems from her efforts to maintain appearances of ladylike dignity despite being naturally graceless and coarse, and while getting involved in undignified and often ludicrous situations.
*A '''[[horse]]''': The pantomime horse is always played by two people, one playing the front and one playing the back. Horse costumes are usually outlandish and brightly colored, often adorned with spotty patterns, shaggy fringes and other non-biologically-correct decoration.

===Example casts===
Below are two examples of how the [[stock character]]s listed above are cast in specific stories:
[[Image:Ian Watkins as Buttons.jpg|right|thumb|150px|Buttons, the buffoon from ''Cinderella'' (Pic: Lancashire Evening Post)]]
====Dick Whittington====
*Protagonist - Dick Whittington (traditionally played by a woman)
*Love interest - Elizabeth
*Buffoon - Dick's cat or Simple Simon
*Dame - Dick's mother (played by a man)
*Villain - King [[Rat]]
*Good fairy - Good fairy
====Cinderella====
*Protagonists - Cinderella, Prince Charming and Dan Deany (all often played by women)
*Love interest - Cinderella
*Buffoon - Buttons
*Dames - Cinderella's ugly sisters (both played by men)
*Villain - Baron Hardup
*Good fairy - Cinderella's fairy godmother

==Audience participation==
Key to the appeal of a pantomime is the way the characters interact with and address the audience. A great deal of banter and general conversation takes place throughout the performance, villains are booed and hissed at and heroes are cheered. Most characteristic of pantomime are the four 'classic' conventions outlined below.

===Oh, no, it isn't!===
This routine appears several times in every pantomime. A character makes an assertion, for example "I'm the most intelligent woman in the world!" and then turns expectantly to the audience, who then loudly voice their disagreement by shouting (in this example) "Oh, no, you're not!". The character then reasserts "Oh, yes, I am!" and the argument continues in this way until the actor tires of it or is interrupted by some other character or event.

Audiences take particular delight in humiliating the villain in this way. This is especially effective if the routine has previously been done by the dame or another 'base' character: by giving the same treatment to the villain, his illusions of grandeur can be comprehensively undermined and derided.

===He's behind you!===
At some point in the play, a villainous character will sneak onto the [[stage]] without the hero or another well-liked character noticing. The audience will then attempt to warn their favorite by shouting "He's behind you!", at which point the hero will turn round the wrong way and fail to see the villain. The routine continues in this way, with the audience attempting to describe the villain's whereabouts and the hero looking everywhere but the right place. Skilled pantomime [[actor]]s are able to continue the charade for some time, often ending it by bumping into each other.

===Come quickly!===
In most pantomimes, one of the light-relief characters (eg the buffoon) will place a precious object (at least to them - it is often laughably worthless) at the side of the stage and ask the audience to look after it for them. Later on, a villainous character will see the object and attempt to [[theft|steal]] it, prompting the audience to loudly summon its owner. If the owner then fails to see the would-be thief, this can lead into the 'he's behind you' routine described above.

===Aaaaaah!===
Characters who are down on their [[luck]] or in unhappy situations often angle for the audience to comfort them with a sympathetic 'Aaaaaah!'. For example, the buffoon's unrequited [[love]] for the main female character will often elicit this response. On occasion, if an actor perceives that the audience's 'Aaaaah!' is lacking in enthusiasm, he or she will say 'Oh, it's much sadder than that!', prompting a second, usually more satisfactory, audience response.

==Origins==
As a traditional form of theater, pantomime's conventions are not formalized, but have grown up organically over hundreds of years by drawing on various different influences. Two of the most recognizeable are [[Italian]] [[Commedia dell'arte]], a stylized theater form that provides the templates for many of the stock characters (the word 'pantomime' comes from Pantalone, one such character<ref> [http://www.theatrehistory.com/italian/commedia_dell_arte_001.html The Commedia dell'Arte]</ref>); and English [[music hall]], which supplies much of the bawdy humor and audience participation.

On a more general level, the simplified conflict between [[good and evil]] could be traced back to [[medieval]] [[morality play]]s (which also used to be performed at major festivals), while the portrayal of grotesque stereotypes and undermining of dignified or would-be dignified figures have a certain kinship with the works of ancient [[Greek]] playwrights such as [[Aristophanes]] and their successors.
[[Image:BrianBlessedPanto.jpg|thumb|right|250px|A poster advertising a production of ''Peter Pan'', featuring respected actor Brian Blessed (Pic: John Hartnup)]]

==Present day==
Although pantomime is a traditional theater form, it has not become '[[fossil]]ized', and adapts to suit the needs of modern audiences. Most obviously, professional pantomimes recruit local and national [[celebrities]] to help pull in crowds. These are often [[soap opera]] actors, singers, or [[television]] and [[radio]] personalities. The stylised and exaggerated conventions of pantomime do not require much aptitude for naturalistic acting, so personalities from the worlds of [[sport]] (eg the [[boxing|boxer]] [[Frank Bruno]]), music and television have often been able to more than compensate for a lack of formal acting experience with a mixture of enthusiasm and the public's existing goodwill. It is not uncommon for every major part in a top-level pantomime production to be played by a [[synecdoche|famous face]]. A common exception is the dame: this role is so important and specialised that few famous people are able to play it successfully, although some well-known actors such as [[Christopher Biggins]] specialise in playing dames at Christmas time.

Sometimes people who have been very famous, or 'serious' actors, see pantomime as a humbling sign of a career on the wane, but many others enjoy the work for its own sake - Sir [[Ian McKellen]] is a good example of an actor who chose to take part in pantomime when he had never been more sought-after in serious [[film]] and theater.

As well as the cast, modern pantomimes often include topical [[joke]]s about current events, politicians and celebrities, and references to modern technology, revelling in the [[anachronism]] of, say, a [[motorbike]] appearing in a pre-[[industrial revolution|industrial]] English village. However, any modernization must be carefully judged, since part of a pantomime's appeal is the chance to enjoy a traditional form of entertainment that one would never see at any other time of year.
{{clear}}

==External links==
*[http://www.its-behind-you.com/ It's Behind You.com]

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:Theater]]
[[Category:Christmas]]
[[Category:Comedy]]

Christopher Biggins

2009-05-27T19:38:49Z

MaryN: British actor- new article.

'''Christopher Biggins''' is a British actor who's career has included both theatre and television roles.

Christopher Biggins was born in [[Oldham]], England in 1948 and later moved to Salisbury, where he began taking elocution lessons and joined a local theatre group. After leaving school he had small parts in a number of British sitcoms (e.g. Porridge) and later went to on to host the game show ''On Safari''. In addition he has also appeared in more serious television dramas, playing Nero in the BBC version of ''I, Claudius'' and Revd Osbourne Whitworth in the BBC adaptation of ''Poldark''. Biggins is most famous for his performances as a [[Pantomime]] dame, a role that he has filled in a variety of productions almost every year for the past 34 years. More recently he gained fame as the winner of ''I'm a Celebrity...get me out of here!'' in 2007 <ref>http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/christopher-biggins-oh-yes-he-is-518257.html</ref>.

==Personal life==

Christopher Biggins was married to the Australian actress Beatrice Norbury from 1971 until their divorce in 1974. He first openly declared that he was gay in 1998, and subsequently entered into a civil partnership with his long-term partner Neil Twimaps in 2006<ref>http://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2007/12/02/biggins-my-life-98487-20191538/</ref>.

==References==
1. Nick Duerden,[http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/theatre-dance/features/christopher-biggins-oh-yes-he-is-518257.html "Christopher Biggins: Oh yes he is!"], ''The Independent'', 4th December 2005

2. Frank Thorne and Kate Mansey, [http://www.mirror.co.uk/sunday-mirror/2007/12/02/biggins-my-life-98487-20191538/ "Biggins: my life"], ''The Sunday Mirror'', 2nd December 2007

Talk:Pantomime

2009-05-20T15:42:54Z

MaryN:

==Audience participation==
It has been a long time since I attended one of these, but is the villain also not "hissed" by the audience? Or am I thinking of something else? --[[User:JessicaT|KotomiT]]<sup>[[User talk:JessicaT|''nandeyanen?'']]</sup> 15:08, 18 February 2009 (EST)
:More often than not the villain will be booed by the audience and the hero cheered; it's probably worth adding under the Audience Participation heading, just not under a subheading of its own. [[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 15:11, 18 February 2009 (EST)
::Oh, yes, they are - I've added it to the article. Thanks for the input.--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 15:17, 18 February 2009 (EST)
:::Oh no it isn't... (sorry, could not resist) "Exit pursued by a bear" --[[User:JessicaT|KotomiT]]<sup>[[User talk:JessicaT|''nandeyanen?'']]</sup> 15:20, 18 February 2009 (EST)
::::It's behind you! *Clatters and swearing from offstage* [[User:ETrundel|ETrundel]] 15:23, 18 February 2009 (EST)

== Can YOU help? ==

Thinking ahead somewhat, I'm hoping that this article can be [[Conservapedia:Featured articles|featured]] some time near Christmas this year. Any improvements would therefore be very welcome.

Brits: Please remember that Conservapedia has a predominantly American audience who are likely to be unfamiliar with pantomime, so this subject needs to be explained in some depth.

Thanks in advance.--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 09:12, 20 May 2009 (EDT)

== Christopher Biggins?==
Hi- this article is great, but I'm slightly confused by this sentence: "A common exception is the dame: this role is so important and specialised that few people outside the acting profession are able to play it successfully, although some mainstream celebrities such as Chistropher Biggins are well-suited to it." It implies that Christopher Biggins is only a celebrity, whereas he is in fact a 'proper' actor, having done comedy (Porridge/ Some Mothers) and serious stuff (Poldark). Perhaps this sentence could be re-phrased ("Some actors, such a Christopher Biggins, specialise in playing pantomime dames"), or a different example given? [[User:MaryN|MaryN]] 11:19, 20 May 2009 (EDT)

:Thanks for the input, Mary - I've actioned that suggestion. I didn't know CB had been in Porridge - perhaps you could create an article on him?--[[User:CPalmer|CPalmer]] 11:37, 20 May 2009 (EDT)

:: Thanks CP- I have to confess that's the limit of my CB knowledge, but will try and find some more stuff for a possible article at some point!

Isle of Wight

2009-05-20T15:37:46Z

MaryN:

[[Image:wight.jpg|The Isle of Wight from the mainland, near Lymington.|thumb]]

The '''Isle of Wight''' is an island and administrative [[county]] off the south coast of [[England]]. It is a popular destination for tourists, having good beaches, [[chalk]] cliffs and impressive coastal scenery. The Island (as it is usually referred to by inhabitants) was popularised by Queen Victoria, who had a summer home near Cowes called Osbourne House. Today, the Island is also popular with fossil hunters, due to the abundance of bones to be found along the cliffs and beaches, and it also hosts a number of festivals and events that attract thousands of people, including the world-famous Cowes week (focussed around sailing) and the Isle of Wight Festival and the Bestival (music). Principal towns on the island include Cowes, [[Newport]] and Ryde. The island is bounded by the [[English Channel]] to the south and the [[Solent]] to the north. Though there have been proposals for an Isle of Wight bridge, residents have so far strenuously resisted attempts to join the Isle to the English mainland.

Regular ferry services to the island run from [[Southampton]], [[Portsmouth]], and [[Lymington]].



[[Category:United Kingdom Counties]]
[[Category:Islands|Wight, Isle of]]

Talk:Pantomime

2009-05-20T15:19:54Z

MaryN:

Talk:Campanology

2009-02-01T23:09:59Z

MaryN: New page: Hello, I don't know if anyone will read this, but here goes: - Firstly, sorry to whoever wrote the original stub for changing some of it; I'm afraid that the method 'Grandsire Surprise Do...

Hello, I don't know if anyone will read this, but here goes:

- Firstly, sorry to whoever wrote the original stub for changing some of it; I'm afraid that the method 'Grandsire Surprise Doubles' does not exist!

-Secondly, this article needs a lot of work- I'll do what I can when I have time, but there's a lot to cover. The introduction in particular is fundamentally wrong, as it confuses campanology (i.e. ringing of any sort of bell) with change ringing (English 'full circle' ringing as I've attempted to describe). Sadly I don't know much about carillons or chiming or any other forms of ringing, so would welcome some help there. Plus I'm finding it very hard to explain change ringing in simple terms, so if there are any other ringers out there, please help!
- Future additions (hopefully); Bell weights, diagram of a bell, description of rounds, call changes and methods, facts about numbers of towers and global distribution, description of peals/ quarter peals, summary of method names (i.e. what Doubles/ Triples/ Caters mean) and perhaps some stuff on the Central Council, Ringing World and bells in art/ literature. Oh and of course a section on the relationship between bells and the Church. Not forgetting to mention that you don't have to be religious to ring bells, and many ringers aren't. I could go on, but I think I'll stop for now!

So essentially, I would really like some help on this article, and sorry if it stops a bit abruptly- I will add more. Oh yes, and sorry if I forget and put British spellings- although since change ringing is quintessientially English, perhaps no one will mind too much... [[User:MaryN|MaryN]]

Campanology

2009-02-01T22:54:54Z

MaryN:

==Campanology==

'''Campanology''' is the ancient art of church bell ringing and is usually just referred to as "change ringing" or "bell ringing". It originated in [[England]] and is mainly practiced in the [[United Kingdom]]. There are several important distinctions between campanology and other forms of church bell ringing:

1) The bells are rung rather chimed. Ringing a bell involves rotating the whole bell by 360 degrees. This gives a much louder sound than a chimed bell, in which the bell is swung just enough to strike the clapper.
2) The bells are rung in turn (peal) so that no two strike at once.
3) The order in which the bells are struck can be changed by ringing a "method". These methods have names like "Grandsire doubles". This is what gives rise to the name of 'change ringing' (i.e. ringing the changes).

==History of change ringing==

For centuries, bells have hung for chiming in churches with ropes and levers attached to the headstock from which the bell is hung; pulling on the rope makes the bell swing so that the clapper strikes the side, thus producing a note. However, in England in the 16th century these levers began to be replaced by wheels, which allow the bell to swing almost full circle. This gave the ringer much more control over when the bell strikes, and led to the development of change ringing, whereby bells are rung in systematically changing patterns.

==Mechanics of change ringing==

Within a church tower, the bells are hung in a bell chamber, which has louvred windows (i.e. slatted) that allow the sound to escape. The bells are held in a bell frame, generally made of steel, wood or cast iron, and each individual bell is hung from a headstock. The headstock is then attached to a wheel, which in turn has a rope attached to it; this rope is wrapped and unwrapped around the wheel as the bell is rung, and is the means by which the bell is controlled. Below the ringing chamber there are usually one or more sound chambers (empty rooms which amplify the sound; the rope that is attached to the bell passes through these and into the ringing chamber through a small hole in the ceiling. It is from the ringing chamber that the bells are rung. Each rope in the ringing chamber is hung so that the end hangs just above the floor, and has a 'sally' attached approximately 4 feet from the floor. This is a woollen grip around the rope which is about 3 feet long; its purpose is both to make the rope easier to hold and to make it easier for the ringer to see where to catch it. The end of the rope is doubled over, and referred to as the 'tail-end'.

In order to ring the bell, the ringer holds the tail end in one hand, with the end tucked into the palm. They then grasp the sally with both hands and pull down firmly, thus pulling the bell 'over the balance' so that it starts to swing. When the bell reaches the bottom of the revolution, and starts to swing back up the other side, the ringer lets go of the sally and holds onto the tail-end with both hands. When the bell has swung almost 360 degrees, it will once again reach a 'balancing point', at which point the ringer pulls down firmly on the tail-end, causing the bell to swing back round the other way again. As the bell rises up towards it's original starting point, the ringer will catch the sally in both hands once again in order to control it.

[[Category:Musical style]]