Sunday, July 20, 2025

The queer punk party confronting panto’s outdated attitudes

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Traditional pantomimes often spin the same old narratives about gender and beauty, says the maker of an alternative show, about LGBTQ+ activists

“Kids love a mosh pit! They love a headbang,” says Tali Clarke, the writer and director of a queer punk pantomime, Madre Goose, which is streamed this month.

Madre Goose tells the story of an LGBTQ+ community of activists rallying against gentrification and materialism. All the wacky costumes, silly characters and daft jokes are as you’d expect from panto, but it has punk songs, psychedelic green-screen backgrounds and embraces inclusivity.

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