British panto production blends holiday tradition with Muslim culture and humor

William Brangham:

We end this holiday week with a very British tradition, pantomime, but with a modern twist.

For those less familiar, a pantomime, or panto, is a family holiday comedy show filled with fairy tales, music, slapstick, and audience participation, and it's a seasonal staple across the U.K.

This year, one production is selling out. It's a retelling of the fairy tale "Snow White" that blends classic panto with Muslim culture and humor and even teases at its online trolls.

From Britain, Minnie Stephenson the Independent Television News brings us this story.

Minnie Stephenson:

'Tis is the season of glitter, goodwill and glorious panto, where the jokes are loud and the costumes are even louder.

Introducing the Muslim panto, "Snow Brown and her Seven Uncles," or "Chachay" in Urdu, a fairy tale flipped and served with enough one-liners to derail even the grumpiest uncle.

Lubna Saleh, Actor:

I am so glad I'm in this role. And having the previous shows, honestly, I started tearing up at one point, because the little girls were running up to me and they looked like me. And I looked like them. And they were like: "I love your hijab, oh, my God, you look like me, I have your name."

And it's just really heartwarming to see and be the representation I wish I would have had when we grew up. We just want everyone to enjoy the fun. And you don't have to be Muslim to come and watch it.

Minnie Stephenson:

Its creator, Abdullah Afzal, is on a mission to spread Muslim joy in the festive season. From Glasgow to Notting Hill, across 11 cities, the Muslim panto has sold over 24,000 tickets.

Abdullah Afzal, Creator and Actor: When it comes to the pantomime, it's a British institution. It's very important in the British culture. It's something that families go out to, but it's my history, the upbringing I had, the conflicts between being a British and Muslim at the time when I was growing up.

But I'm proud of both those things, I'm proud of being Pakistani. I'm proud of being British. And I'm bringing it to the stage. And people like me are coming and enjoying the show.

Minnie Stephenson:

Of course, not everybody is a fan. And satire is not dead. The panto has become embroiled in its very own culture war with some online trolls seizing upon the show.

Abdullah Afzal:

We have got to use it as fuel and inspiration to better ourselves. And I have just enjoyed it. And I'm being attacked by a right-wing fly here.

Actually, the Snow Brown name actually came from a right-wing troll. One of the comments was, Cinder Allia? What's next, Snow Brown?

I went, all right, OK.

Minnie Stephenson:

Now you have named the show after them.

Abdullah Afzal:

Because of them, their inspiration.

Minnie Stephenson:

The comedy is halal and the joy unmistakable.

Woman:

It makes me feel proud to be Pakistani and Muslim and British and have all those cultures kind of combined.

Man:

It's a twist to a typical panto, but it's still a panto at heart with all the fun associated with it.

Boy:

I like the atmosphere of the Muslim pantos and the funny -- and the humor and the acting.

Girl:

It just reminds me about something that I would watch when I was little.

Minnie Stephenson:

The ultimate unifier in the festive season, you may ask, kebabs, of course. Enter the kebab queen.

Noor-Al-Wahid, Actor:

Everyone loves the kebab.

Minnie Stephenson:

Wherever you're from.

Noor-Al-Wahid:

Yes. And do you know what? I have had quite -- after the show, when we have met the audience, I have had a few comments where people have said: "You know what, I'm going to go home and have a kebab."

(Laughter)

Noor-Al-Wahid:

"It really made me want to have a kebab now.":

(Laughter)

Minnie Stephenson:

In a world that often feels divided, this panto offers something simple, a stage big enough for everyone and a reminder that sometimes the best magic is seeing yourself center stage.