The annual Christmas Pantomime kicks off in city for a cause

The Little Theatre’s 29th Christmas Pantomime, How To Sway Your Dragon, took the stage with a true panto spirit with musical dragons, speaking demons, rabbits, and inevitably triumph over the evil, at the Museum Theatre in Egmore on Friday, directed by Krishnakumar Balasubramanian (KK).

Once the curtains fall on December 18, the funds raised through the panto would go primarily towards supporting hospital clowning at the Kanchi Kamakoti Childs Trust Hospital in Nungambakkam.

“To begin with, there will be about a hundred children from underprivileged backgrounds in the audience to watch and enjoy the panto. The project that we will be funding is the hospital clown initiative,” says Aysha Rau, Managing Trustee at the Little Theatre Trust.

For the past decade, the trust has run its signature initiative hospital clowning at the Children’s Government hospital in Egmore, and it has recently shifted its efforts to the Childs Trust Hospital.

Dedicated team

Ms. Rau shares that this will be the only hospital in the country to have a dedicated team visiting twice a week for hospital clowning.

The hospital clowns will enter various wards, including those with cancer patients, caregivers, doctors, nurses, and hospital staff.

The Trust also plans to work with pre-surgery children through funds raised from the pantomime.

“Hospital clowning brings control back to the patients, and we use distraction therapy and play especially for the children there,” says Rohini Rau, CEO of The Little Theatre. “Additionally, when artists don’t have work, they can’t continue their art. We are also looking at those avenues,” she adds.