Chennai | The 2024 Christmas pantomime is a spoof on the Batman universe

The cast and crew of ‘Bratman’

In an endearing show of how an ensemble takes shape and form, a group of little actors sing ‘A Million Dreams’ from the hit musical The Greatest Showman, as their older counterparts join in seamlessly. The harmonies resound in The Little Theatre’s rehearsal space, Cheriana.

This scene from one of the rehearsal evenings of The Little Theatre’s annual Christmas Pantomime, Bratman, indicates the importance of an ensemble, especially in theatre. Over the past four months, this is exactly what the team has been trying to achieve as stage novices come together to shape a two-hour long show. Inside Cheriana, they become Bratman and his band of chaotic oddballs scrambling to save the magic of Christmas. Will they succeed?

Over the last 28 years, the pantomime has become synonymous with the holiday season in the city. It is a tradition. While the classic format of a pantomime remains true to its genre (think: a dame, innumerable songs, and slapstick humour at its finest), every year, a fresh crop of Chennai’s young theatre nuts take the stage. The script and storyline, charted by the actors themselves over four months of rehearsals, almost always skirts the absurd, while also bringing forth the classic good vs evil trope. This time around, Batman is in the picture — a character that has always been close to artistic director Krishnakumar Balasubramanian (KK), who helms the show. 

Cast of the pantomime
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement

He begins with a declaration. “I think this is going to be one of the best pantos we have had! We wanted to put our own panto spin to the character of Batman to create Bratman.”  Choosing a character as popular as this also requires the team to delve deeper into the DC universe. “We want to give the fans something to play with, but at the end of the day, it’s a Christmas pantomime: a spoof of the entire universe, a take on popular culture and also current events,” KK says. He adds, “The big advantage of doing the panto is that more than going into the history of the comics, we take what people most relate to and you blend it with every idea that comes in through improvisation.” 

Director KK
| Photo Credit:
special arrangement

The narrative loosely goes thus: “What if someone or something takes over Batman’s psyche and thought processes and makes him into Bratman? What if he becomes a supervillain? What will he be capable of then?” The narrative also briefly touches upon the topic of bullying. What ensues in Gotham city following this forms the story.  

With a predominantly Gen Z cast, this year around, KK says that it really helps to know what they relate to today. To that end, does Bratman have anything to do with the ‘Brat Summer’, the Charli XCX-inspired phenomenon that took over pop culture, and even made a mark in American politics not so long ago. KK laughs, “I have no idea what you are talking about, but now that I know about it, this could be a direction to take.” The cast is a talented mix of singers, dancers and actors.  “The panto is a bed for amateurs to come and hone their talent. This whole experience for actors is rewarding,” says KK.

The pantomime is being choreographed by Vikas Rao, while singer Lavita Lobo directs the music.  Would the director be willing to reveal what songs we can look forward to? After some hesitation, he gives away one. “One of my favourite songs by Elton John, ‘I’m Still Standing.”

Bratman will be performed on December 14 and 15 at 3pm and 7pm, and on December 16 to 19, at 6pm in Museum Theatre, Egmore. Passes on thelittletheatre.explara.com