Is 5 too young for Panto

[Peppapigisfartoobabyish]

To really appreciate it?
Where we live there aren’t many Christmas show type things, this year there’s a pantomime of Cinderella. It’s not solely aimed at children and many adults go, but has been put as 3 +
Its men dressing up as the ugly sisters etc
My Dd obviously knows the Cinderella story well and likes silly things 😁
Would you Walt or would 5 be a good age? Tickets are quite expensive so I don’t want to waste money if she’ll get bored halfway through

My only concern was the level of noise. We took ear defenders for NT DD & DS and they wore them until

...... whoops! Until they got comfortable with the volume.

Took my 5 year old son and his friend last year they loved it- didn't follow the story too well but they got the slapstick just fine and he was mesmerized by the acrobats and the dances.

Took our then 3 year old last year and he loved it! Still talks about it. His nursery is actually taking them all in a couple of weeks, and they're all obviously younger than 5. Beauty and the beast this year, I believe!

Depends on your 5 year old really. If she can sit still and quietly when needed and will listen to you, then I think there is a good chance she will enjoy it, and so will you and her fellow theatre-goers.

I’ve been taking my son from about that age, we all love panto. We have the Rock and Roll one here which is excellent, despite being as cheesy as hell

I’d check they don’t take them to a show at school though as you could then pick a different one from them

Can't believe anybody's fussing about the cross-dressing in panto; it's been a convention for (literally) centuries and I don't think the great British Public has been traumatized by it. You do know that when Shakespeare's plays were first performed, all the female roles were played by boys, right?

5 is perfect age. Try taking them to the cinema a few times before to get used to sitting in a theatre and dimmed lights etc.

Oh no its not!

5 is fine, she'll love it

Panto’s bloody excellent.

Anyone who doesn’t laugh at “12 o’clock and still no Dick!” or “Ooh that Abanazar. Watch out for him. He’s a magician. He once turned me into a prawn cocktail. And that was just for starters.” isn’t human.

5 year olds will love it. Even if they don’t get all the jokes.

Oh yes they will!

That's the age they start getting the jokes aimed at the adults... 😆

Pissed Up Panto...no, wouldn't be suitable....ordinary panto yes..kids usually love it.

One of my children loved pantomime- the other was utterly terrified! Made life very difficult for my PIL, whose Boxing Day treat was a trip to the Panto surrounded by grandchildren! They always had to find something else to take DS to. Once they discovered how much he likes an afternoon tea they were sorted!

5 is definitely not too young! DS's primary school takes the whole school every year so from age 4 and DS went for his 4th Birthday 🎂

A fat thighed former principal boy I resent that comment from a previous poster!

Go for it OP, 5 is an ideal age for it! 🙂

5 is an ok age if they like that sort of thing , none of mine really liked Panto and I can’t stand it - my sister took mine when they were younger .

My dc all were in a panto chorus at 5yo.

I took dd1 to see her first panto at 3yo. I don't think she really realised what was going on (it was Peter Pan which is one of the more complicated ones) but loved the slapstick and the singing.
I also had 5 week old dd2 on my lap. Based on dd1 aged 5 weeks, I expected her to curl up on me and sleep... No. Silly thought. Dd2 could not get enough of the lights. Her little head was snapping round so fast I started worrying about whiplash 🤣 didn't sleep a bit and was so hyped when she came out she was buzzing.
Ds first went at 18 months to watch his sisters. He enjoyed it, but got a little wriggly at the end. We'd deliberately got a back seat next to an exit with no one else around so we slipped out of the back for the last bit and came back in for the bows.

What I would say is:
Prepare them for the lights going down
Tell them there may be flashes and bangs
Talk about people in costume and pretending
And train them on "oh no it isn't" and "it's behind you" because they love that.
Choose a seat where you can slip out easily if they are upset/need the toilet/have had enough.