Pantomime degree launched by Staffordshire University

The master’s program, according to Staffordshire University, is a world first, and it is aimed at persons working both inside and outside the sector.

Students on the course, which will begin in September 2022, will receive both practical training and research in the art form.

Robert Marsden, Associate Professor of Acting and Directing, remarked, “We want to see how far we can take this.” The role of pantomime in the 21st Century was also going to be examined, he said, “particularly post Me Too and Black Lives Matter”.

Prof Marsden stated that questions such as “how do we address gender issues, how do we tell the story of Aladdin in 2021, how do we obtain that balance of male/female roles?” will be discussed.

Students will create and produce their original show as part of the course, which will be performed in the community. They will also receive formal training and networking for future vocations through placements and work experience, according to the institution.

The goal isn’t merely to develop pantomime actors, directors, and other crew members. Prof Marsden stated that the abilities learned in the course might be applied to various fields.

He cited a “full module on building up a theatre company” as an example of a course that may provide students with “plenty of crucial, practical skills.”

The course was created in collaboration with the Wilkes Academy of Performing Arts, whose principal, Jonathan Wilkes, has performed in pantomime at the Regent Theatre in Stoke-on-Trent on numerous occasions. “It has been a big part of my life and I’m looking forward to passing on my knowledge and skills to support the next generation of panto professionals,” he said.

Pantomimes became popular during the Victorian era as a way for theatres to generate revenue and reach new audiences.

Stephen Mulhern and Christopher Biggins, seasoned pantomime performers, have endorsed the training, saying, “We should all be preserving traditions.”