Emily's Tidbits: Snow White- the Christmas Pantomime

Last weekend was the second-annual Christmas Pantomime for the community in Moroto. Apparently it is a British tradition to hold a pantomime around the holidays. The play is highly audience participatory, always based on a fairy tale, and usually involves a lot of drag and slapstick comedy. For here it was an incredible feat- 28 cast members, some ugandan and the rest internationals, and an entire play written by a British NGO worker- completely for the region of Karamoja. There were 2 showings, one at 3pm last Sat for the kids and one at 7:30pm with party that followed for adults. Both shows sold out! I invited my landlord's kids/dependents to the play and they loved it. I was on costume committee and make-up:-) A job well done to the cast and crew!

Audience buzzes with anticipation.

Cormac the narrator on right, and Isabel his favorite tree which he waters throughout the show. She would wilt on and off (bending over in a dramatic death) and the audience would scream for Cormac to come back and water her :)

Miss Handful (Alastair the British guy) in drag (ahem, my skirt), Snow White and pupils

Soldiers, 2 real US army guys and one Ugandan. Got a lot of laughs, "silly soldiers"

Other half of room at 3:pm show, money raised went to children affected by HIV/AIDS (run by the nun in red shirt) it was shown on Dec 1 - World AIDS Day

Silly soldiers capture orphan Snow White from Moroto

The "seven dwarfs" are tree choppers, collecting wood, dressed in traditional Karamajong outfits

Yeah, those trees come alive in the magical forest.

Snow White hides among her friends in nature (had the masks brought in from someone who had a workshop in london lol)

This little girl in her cookie monster sweater just melted my heart! She was sooo precious! And she tried so hard in all the dances and songs. She was a trooper -up until 11 pm the night of rehearsal Friday and then all day performances Saturday. She was pooped!