I was taken annually to the pantomime as a boy.
There used to be the drop-down with all the local advertisements on. We always went to the Empire and we always sat in the balcony.
Then when my children were growing up, we used to go to the Crucible and saw a few pantomimes with Bobby Knutt in.
He told the children to shout 'Ey up, Knutty' every time he came on. The parents were the loudest shouters.
We went to a couple of the Manor Operatic pantomimes at the City Hall in between. I remember one of them was Humpty Dumpty. Brian Platts always had his baking sequence and I'm sure he still does. It caused an uproar and was very enjoyable.
I notice that they always have real animals in their productions.

We went to see Cannon and Ball at the Lyceum in later years, that's before they achieved fame with Safestyle(no need to start a discussion about double glazing as some of you already have).
We also saw Les Dennis in one of the pantomimes, I think that was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The Australian lady who plays Louise in Emmerdale was Snow White.

All our children are grown up now, but this January we went to the Montgomery Theatre to see Roy Staniforth in Goody Two Shoes. We really enjoyed this as it brought back memories of the Olde Tyme Pantos. This was the first time we had been to the Montgomery Theatre and we were very impressed. It is very homely and laughs galore!

I hope they never do away with Pantos because they are a part of our culture that should never end. A release from the troubles and tribulations of modern day society.
I rest my case!

Alanbro (genie with the light brown hair)

I remember going to see Cinderella at the Lyceum, Dicky Valentine played buttons. He picked a young lad from the audience to go on stage with him. He had him in is arms when the poor lad releived himself down his bright red Buttons costume.
I have never forgotten that! it must have been sometime in the late 50's / early 60's. :P

Recall visiting the annual pantomime around Xmas at Attercliffe Palace.Think the run began in December and ended around Easter.During the pre-Xmas interval Santa would wander around the theatre chatting to the kids.I distinctly remember one Santa stinking of stale Woodbines and ale as he asked through his brown-stained beard what you wanted for Christmas.
Rumour has it that one Lancashire panto comedian had dropped the Good Fairy in the club during the autumn rehearsal and her pregnancy were becoming visibly obvious during the closing performances.

I remember going to the pantomimes at both the Lyceum and the Empire theatres.

A few years ago I took my nephews 5 kids to their local panto in Guildford and although it wasn't the same as the old sheffield panto's we all enjoyed it.

We all sat in the cheapest seats up in the 'Gods' and we shouted out, sung all the songs, threw sweets and generally had a great laugh.

I bet those people in that gallery had never seen a northern group enjoy themselves so much.

The rest of the audience all joined into the spirit with us so I think they enjoyed letting themselves go for a change.

Happy Days

I saw Jimmy Clitheroe in Aladdin at the Lyceum (1965?). It was a great show. I went on stage to help sing a song, The words were written on a pull down screen. I remember it was a tongue twister but nothing more then that. I got a bag of spice as I came off. It had Munchies in it.
Afterwards we went to the Stage Door to see if we could see him come out. We did, and boy did he look old. On stage, a fresh faced thirteen year old. Off stage, a wrinkly fifty year old. Brilliant showman though.
Would he have stayed at the Grand? I know he was a bit tight with the old dosh.

I saw the very last panto at the Sheffield Empire. It was Babes in the Wood, with Edna Savage and Laurie London - both big names in their day.

I love these and hope they keep goin especially for the kids:)

Going back a few years earlier than most of you, I don’t remember the title of the panto but it starred Ken Dodd who was making his first panto appearance at the Lyceum and went like a Bomb! Absolutely fantastic. I would guess it was before 1951 because that’s when I left Sheffield for Manchester; although I did return now and again to see relatives.

We never missed a pantomime at the Attercliffe Palace when we were kids and looked forward to them for weeks.