“Pantomime grew from the harlequin age and from clowning back in the Victorian age,” he said. “We also looked at contemporary manifestations – how pantomime has become more inclusive and ...

Known as Harlequinades, Rich’s plays were an early form of pantomime. The stories involved lovers, magic, chases and acrobatics, with Harlequin using his ‘slapstick’ to hit scenery ...

theatre manager and actor John Rich realised the potential of the commedia characters and made Harlequin the star of the entertainments. It was Rich's Harelquinades that developed the pantomime ...

RBC said it was “keen to keep access to the arts alive” while the building has been closed by delivering the successful Big Top Panto in Memorial Park and its regular ‘Harlequin Outdoors ...