The BBC’s Ghosts Christmas Special 2022 brings a pantomime to Button House and GEMMA JOHNSON couldn’t be happier
Review of Ghosts Christmas Special 2022
Believe me, the term ‘all-time favourite episode’ is not one that I use easily, but I can confirm that this episode of Ghosts is absolutely that – well for me anyway.
It is delightful; it brought back many fond memories of childhood and also related to me on a professional level. Plus, we get to see Thomas in diva mode and Captain as a fairy godmother – bonus!
Alison and Mike are heading to Mike’s family for Christmas Day, so the ghosts will be left to celebrate the day without them. Keen to make sure they don’t feel neglected, Alison sets up a ‘gifting room’ for them where they each have a special surprise waiting for them. The ghosts decide that they should use their time wisely, and so Pat leads them on a journey into the world of Panto so that they can create a special gift for Alison.
Part of my professional career is as a drama teacher, and I loved this on so many levels. Pat is leading the way with story development, casting, and rehearsals, watching his project come to life. The ghosts are cast in the roles that suit their characters; however, poor Robin ends up in the role of ugly stepsister, but he is not phased; in his words, “I have a face like a horse, bum, it no matter.”
But then Pat has a crisis of confidence, led in part by Julian having a very bad influence on him in the gifting room. Feeling as though everyone is mocking him, Pat quits the panto. Seizing the opportunity, Thomas steps up to create his ‘vision’ (insert dramatic Thomas arm movements and gestures here). Pat is eventually persuaded to return and reverse the damage that Thomas’ ego has done to the performance.
Personal confession time. Ask anyone of my drama students, and they will tell you that I can be both rational Pat and diva Thomas on the run up to one of our performances, and this is why I loved this episode so much – I can see myself in the characters.
After sitting in a horrible traffic jam for hours, Alison and Mike return deflated, but the ghosts are ready to change that. Well, for Alison anyway. Mike, a confessed pantophobic, watches with ear buds in and is there as moral support for obvious reasons. But wait… pantos need atmosphere, and they rely on audience participation.
Where will they get other audience members from? Cue the plague people from the cellar who were just happy to be allowed in the main building, running in like excited Labradors. An excellent touch and one that really added to the performance of the panto.
My favourite moments from the panto are a plague person getting ready to square up to Fanny (aka the Evil Stepmother) for being so mean to Cinderella (Kitty), a floating fairy godmother (Captain) and Humphrey as the clock.
Take away lessons from this episode? Don’t take yourself too seriously; we all need to learn to laugh at ourselves. Oh, and no matter how close the Moonah looks in a telescope, you still can’t touch it.
Tell us your thoughts on the Ghosts Christmas Special 2022 in the comments section below!
Ghosts Christmas Special 2022 and other episodes are available to watch in the UK on BBC iPlayer
