Thoughtful message behind the pantomime

THE festive season draws to a close.

- The Rev Jo Tatum is a Nottingham Workplace Chaplain

Or does it? Oh no it doesn't-oh yes it does.

That familiar call comes from a much-loved British tradition: the pantomime.

One of my favourites is Dick Whittington. Beneath the humour and audience participation lies a surprisingly thoughtful tale telling the rags-to-riches story of a poor boy together with his trusty cat seeking fame and fortune in London. He hears the magical Bow Bells tell him the unlikely promise that one day he'll be Lord Mayor. He has been told the streets are paved with gold and hopes for wealth beyond his imagination. Instead, he finds failure and disappointment, loneliness, and rejection.