The Little Theatre’s beloved pantomime returns with How to Sway Your Dragon

As Chennai exhales into its brief, not-so-wintery winter, with cool mornings, sudden downpours, and streets strung with fairy lights, a quiet migration begins. For nearly three decades, families have flown back to the city just so Christmas can truly begin when the panto curtains rise. This year’s production, How to Sway Your Dragon, whisks audiences to Lord Odin’s magical village of Burp, a place “responsible for producing all the joy found in the world,” until the Ice King and his musical demons threaten to shut it all down. What follows is an adventure led by Teacup, who joins forces with Burp’s bravest warriors to save joy itself.

With dragons, musical demons, and a village that manufactures joy, this year’s panto blends fantasy with the warmth of a 29-year legacy.

For nearly three decades now, there are children who grow up, move away, and still fly back in December, this time bringing their own kids, because Christmas in Chennai, for them, doesn’t begin until the curtains rise. Year after year, families stream into the auditorium, ready for an evening of music, slapstick, colour and the kind of joy that only a panto can conjure.

This year’s production, How to Sway Your Dragon, transports audiences to Lord Odin’s magical village of Burp the very place, as the script tells us, “responsible for producing all the joy found in the world.” But that supply chain is suddenly under threat when the mysterious Ice King and his band of musical demons decide to bring everything to a halt. What follows is a riotous adventure featuring an unlikely hero, Teacup, who joins forces with Burp’s bravest warriors to save joy itself.

While the storyline promises all the fun of a classic panto, CEO of The Little Theatre, Rohini Rau, says the roots of the production run much deeper. “The pantomime tradition originated in the UK, where Christmas pantomimes run through November, December, January and February,” she explains. “This is the first time Chennai has had its own Christmas pantomime, introduced by the British Consul General’s wife. She staged the first five editions here, and my mother took over after that. With The Little Theatre, this is our 29th year, but overall we’ve had 34 pantomimes.”

What makes a panto a panto? Rohini points to the time-honoured framework: “It’s a tradition because it follows a set of classic rules: good must triumph over evil; there’s always a panto animal; and it’s one of the few theatre forms built around audience interaction. Characters are meant to be hissed and booed, especially the villains, and the audience plays a huge part.”

This audience connection is what keeps the legacy alive. “For many people, Christmas in Chennai now feels incomplete without the pantomime,” she says. “We even have repeat audiences who plan their holidays around our show dates. It’s lovely to see people who watched it in their youth returning with their own children.”

Over 50 children join an adult cast this year, with choreography by Kavya (Black Swan Studio) and Vikas Rao (Signature Studio), and music direction by Lavita Lobo. Rehearsals began as early as August.

Rohini reflects on how the production process has shifted over time. “Earlier, my mother wrote the entire script upfront, and we auditioned actors for fixed roles. Later directors began treating the script as a skeleton and built on it through improvisation, adding their own ideas and a lot of local flavour, including Tamil and bits of Hindi,” she says. The aim is simple: “Today, the script must stay relevant to a wide audience: children, parents, grandparents, and even those who may not be fully comfortable with English.”

Yet certain elements never change. “Our commitment to original scripts, the traditional panto structure, and having both kids and adults in the cast,” she says. “Most importantly, we want the audience to leave happy. We know that for people to step out, brave traffic and choose theatre over Netflix, the experience has to feel worth it.”

Among those bringing the world of Burp to life is Arshith Kurian, who plays Iceac Newton, leader of the demon clan. “He is a musician, a conductor with flamboyance, and at the same time very vicious,” he says. “His main goal is to satisfy his master Ice Kachang’s wish, for which in return he will get fame and fortune. But at the same time he has a soft side too — because when he experiences real joy he becomes less vicious and more kind-hearted.”

Arshith’s favourite moment? “When ‘Toothless’ enters in scene two. In the neon lights he enters and his eyes shine. I think that captures the entire spirit of the show.”

Actor Deepthie Orintelu plays Rumi, a fierce warrior with a K-pop edge. “She’s inspired by Rumi from the KPop Demon Hunters and has a hint of Astrid from How to Train Your Dragon,” she says. “But she’s my own quirky, Panto-style interpretation… a Rumi-Astrid fusion.”

She describes the panto’s annual highlight: “My favourite part is always the sing-along. Every year we pick the biggest hit of the season and turn it into this amazing moment where the whole cast sings and dances and the audience joins in.”

Deepthie also carries a significant emotional arc. “My character becomes a reflection of what the audience is feeling,” she says. “There’s a particularly special scene between Rumi and her father, Odin, that really sets the tone for the emotional journey.”

For Kaivalya Krishnan, who plays Hiccup, returning to The Little Theatre felt like coming home. “I was a part of their blue workshop as a kid for two years — it really made my love for the stage grow,” she says. “Coming back for the adult cast feels amazing.” Hiccup’s story, she adds, is deeply personal: “He starts as a child who feels he’s a failure to his family, and grows into someone who feels like he has a voice and it matters.”

Rohini hints that the team is already thinking ahead. “Next year marks our 30th pantomime,” she says. “We’re excited… our focus remains the same: to bring the fun every year, to make it bigger and better, and to see how far we can push our creativity. That’s what keeps it fresh for us.”

From Rs 300 onwards. On December 12 and 15–18, at 6 pm, and on December 13 and 14, at 3 pm and 7 pm, respectively. At Museum Theatre, Egmore.

Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya

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