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Victorian music hall star Dan Leno, creator of Widow Twankey and Mother Goose, was born on 20th December, 1860. A child prodigy of the stage, Leno kicked off his career as "Little George, the Infant Wonder," winning the World Clog Dancing Championship in Leeds.\nHaving become an esteemed character comedian, Leno was poached to play Dame Durden in \u2018Jack and the Beanstalk\u2019 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane - a success so immense that he played the role for 15 consecutive years, effectively kickstarting the tradition of the pantomime Dame. Oh Yes He Did!\nIn this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly explain how the comedic chaos of Christmas shows provided an outlet for upper class audiences to revel in the bawdy antics of working class comics; reveal Leno's later struggles with alcoholism and desire for recognition as a serious actor; and consider whether he really is still treading the boards of London\u2019s West End - as a ghost\u2026\xa0\n#Christmas #Theatre #Victorian #Person\xa0\nFurther Reading:\n\n\u2018Dan Leno: the original Pantomime Dame\u2019 (British Library, 2016): https://blogs.bl.uk/english-and-drama/2016/10/dan-leno-the-original-pantomime-dame.html\n\n\n\u2018Oh, yes she is: panto dames through the decades\u2019 (The Guardian, 2020): https://www.theguardian.com/stage/gallery/2020/dec/19/oh-yes-she-is-panto-dames-through-the-decades-in-pictures\n\n\n\u2018Dan Leno - the pantomime dame\u2019 (Promenade Promotions, 2022): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvKymdNEfx8\nLove the show? Join \U0001f334CLUB RETROSPECTORS \U0001f334 to DITCH THE ADS and get an additional full-length episode every SUNDAY!\nPlus, get weekly bonus bits, unlock over 70 bits of extra content and support our independent podcast.\nJoin now via Apple Podcasts or Patreon. Thanks!\nWe'll be back tomorrow! Follow us wherever you get your podcasts: podfollow.com/Retrospectors\nThe Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.\nTheme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart.\nCopyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2023.\n\n Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices