Edinburgh Fringe 2025
She’s Behind You!
Traverse Theatre
Genre: Theatre
Venue: Traverse Theatre.
Festival: Edinburgh Fringe
Low Down
Jonny McKnight reveals stories behind the panto, as he discusses the creation of the Dame, and current challenges to LGBTQ+ representation.
Review
A Panto Dame at the Traverse in the Fringe? Oh yes, it is! And what a Dame we have, the creation of seasoned panto performer Johnny McKnight. Meet Dorothy Blowing A Gale, and she is here to tell us about life as a Dame, how she was created and how she came to be, and how she has had to adapt to changing sensibilities. From the moment she enters, suitably behind us, she has us in the palm of her hand, and employs every panto trope that there is. Audience participation, songs, very risqué jokes, and the (dreaded moment until you’re not picked), selection of men from the audience to pick on, flirt with, and bring onto the stage. For anyone who has ever been to the pantomime, and there can’t be many who haven’t, it is joy, a riot of fun, and uplifts your spirits even on the toughest Edinburgh day.
However, written by McKnight, this is not a show that’s all sweets and no sour. It’s also directed by John Tiffany, still legendary for his production of Blackwatch, and, although enormous fun, the show is reflective and poignant. McKnight discusses his career, acknowledging the off-colour jokes and attitudes that were acceptable at the outset of his career in panto over twenty years ago. He confesses that not only were some of the jokes he delivered racist, they were also homophobic, all acceptable at the time, but really creating an internal trauma as McKnight is gay and was struggling to accept himself. It becomes a very honest, reflective experience, and he embraces his sexuality behind the armour of the Dame, the wigs, make up and costume, and, above all, the permission that the Dame armour gives him to be outrageous, to say things he never would get away with the costume off.
But times, quite rightly, have changed, and Johnny has reformed the panto tropes to reflect changing tastes, and to respond by making sure that theatre remains inclusive, and to always be aware of how he can do better. However, it’s the emails of complaints that he has received, including an accusation of assault by sitting on an audience member’s knee, that provide the meat of the show. There are also the voices, getting louder, that say same sex relationships and positivity have no place in a “family” show. His response to those voices shape the second half of the show, becoming Proud, a rallying call for inclusive practices, and a celebration of all- queer and allies.
The lighting design by Grant Anderson burst into the rainbow colours associated with Dorothy and Pride, and this outstanding show shines in its Queer positivity. There are other LGBTQ+ shows that are equally loud and proud, and defiant. But the joy here is seeing it within the panto structure, and it deserved the standing ovation it received.
