For playwright Mufaro Makubika, a single performance of Vikki Stone's 'Aladdin' at the Lyric Hammersmith in London in 2021 proved to be a life-altering experience. Staged in the surreal period just after the Covid-19 lockdowns, this pantomime did more than provide festive fun; it fundamentally shifted his perspective on theatre, laughter, and his own creative identity.
A First Encounter with Panto Magic
Makubika's journey with pantomime began not in childhood, but through the eyes of his young nephew, Nicholas. Growing up in Harare, Zimbabwe, he had no exposure to the classic British tradition. It was only years later, watching a show at Stratford East with his five-year-old nephew, that he first witnessed its vibrant, interactive spectacle. "He was blown away by how cool everything was, how colourful," Makubika recalls, noting the unique 'response-ability' of a panto audience to engage directly with the stage.
Post-Lockdown Catharsis at the Lyric
The 2021 production of 'Aladdin', however, was something entirely different. It captured the specific madness of its time. Stone's script hilariously lampooned the era's out-of-our-heads silliness and those maddening pandemic press briefings, even featuring a Boris Johnson lookalike. For Makubika, the genius lay in its inclusivity and its profound, soothing power. "It came with the soothing joy of having a proper, bonkers laugh with a bit of music and dance," he says, describing the show as captivating. He was particularly impressed by the actors' skill in reading and reacting to the audience in real-time, a synthesis of performance he likens to expressive traditions in southern Africa.
A New Creative Trajectory
This experience had a profound impact on Makubika, a queer writer from Zimbabwe known for works tackling subjects like Robert Mugabe and migration trauma. 'Aladdin' successfully pulled him out of what he calls the "making Black/African work" box. It gave him permission to embrace and celebrate his own silliness alongside his tendency for exactness, qualities he notes are essential for good panto. This artistic liberation has borne direct fruit: he has now co-written 'Mama Goose' with Vikki Stone, a show featuring an "utterly African central dame."
The story comes full circle as Makubika reveals that his nephew Nicholas, now a talented DJ, has his ticket for the new production. 'Mama Goose' is running at the Theatre Royal Stratford East in London until 3 January. What began as a nephew's introduction to panto has evolved into a transformative professional collaboration, all sparked by the special, giddy joy of one post-lockdown 'Aladdin'.
