Pantomime Changes Spark Debate Over 'Woke' Adaptations

Craig Revel Horwood, a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, has voiced concerns about what he describes as a "woke overhaul" of traditional pantomimes, citing the removal of the iconic kiss from "Sleeping Beauty" due to concerns over consent.

Revel Horwood, who is set to play the villain Carabosse in "Sleeping Beauty" at the Bristol Hippodrome in December, shared that some changes to the classic production feel "weird." In his version, the narrative has been adjusted to ensure the Prince and Princess Aurora fall in love earlier in the show, so their eventual kiss is presented as consensual.

"The love of her life comes in and kisses her – but the problem is, in the story, there's no consent," Revel Horwood explained, referencing the traditional plot where the prince kisses a sleeping princess. "It's a non-consensual kiss nowadays. So how are you going to tell the story where he comes and wakes her up after 100 years by kissing her if she can't consent because she's asleep?"

Further adaptations include reimagining characters previously described as "ugly." Revel Horwood noted that his production features "ugly daughters," but they are no longer referred to by that descriptor. "They're not allowed to be called ugly anymore because no one is ugly," he stated. "And you can't fat-shame anyone either. So, now they're called the sisters. Yeah, it's a bit weird, isn't it?"

Revel Horwood suggested that some traditional pantomime plots are proving difficult to adapt for contemporary audiences, pointing to "Snow White" where the title has reportedly been altered to remove "...and the seven dwarves."

Pantomimes have faced scrutiny in recent years for adjustments made to align with modern sensibilities. In one instance, The Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham reportedly removed a song about vegans from their "Mother Goose" pantomime after audience members complained that the lyrics could incite bullying. The theatre later issued a content warning for their "Aladdin" production, advising audiences that the show might be loud and contain jokes only understood by adults, and also offered a "relaxed" performance for sensitive viewers.

Another pantomime faced accusations of racism in 2024 for an "Aladdin" production featuring an all-white cast and lyrics such as "come on down to our oriental town."