Sooty's Christmas Panto is an episode of The Sooty Show from 1981.
Plot
It's Christmas time in Sooty's house and as a special treat, Sooty, Sweep and Soo are going to see a pantomime. Matthew wakes up to find that it's snowing outside, which gets the whole gang excited and into the Christmas spirit. The gang are looking forward to the pantomime, but as the snow gets worse, they hear that all the roads out of Teddington are blocked by snow resulting in the gang being snowed in. The gang are disappointed about not being able to go. Butch arrives with a Christmas drink (in the form of a bottle of orange juice to cheer them up). However, Sooty suggests that they could perform their own pantomime in the house and invite their friends who can make it through the snow. Matthew remembers that there is an old miniature theatre in the loft, so Matthew instructs the gang to get it down, while he starts work on the script. Sooty suggests performing Little Red Riding Hood.
Later on, the theatre is all set up, with Matthew adding some finishing touches, while Soo is nervous and Sooty and Sweep are fighting on the stage. However the audience have arrived and the pantomime is about to begin, with Sooty popping his head through the curtain with a spotlight on him and Mathew telling him off for being unprofessional. Unfortunately Matthew has to make some changes to his script, due to some problems with the background scenery, sound effects, Soo deciding she'd sooner be 'Little Blue Riding Hood' and the props. Hilarity ensues when Sooty has to pull the tree up by the roots and the Wicked Wolf is dressed as 'Mickey Mouse'. Further mishaps include the set of Grandma's house being upside down and her having a pet spider instead of a cat. However the pantomime concludes, with everyone having had a good time, with everyone coming on the theatre stage, while Matthew sings a Christmas song.
Trivia
- Fifi the poodle, Maggie the mouse, Champion the blunder horse, Roger the rabbit, Ramsbottom, a Butch puppet dressed as a pirate, two dressed up Sweep puppets, and a dressed up Sooty puppet are all in the audience.
- This episode is known as "The Sooty Christmas Show" and "Sooty's Panto".
- Butch dressing up as Mickey Mouse is a reference to Disney. Harry Corbett and Sooty actually appeared on the Mickey Mouse Club on a few occasions in the 1960's (which was the only exposure the USA ever got of Sooty).
Goofs
- Whilst on stage at the end, many of the characters have wooden sticks in them instead of hands, including Roger the rabbit.
Availability
Video
DVD
- A DVD free with the Times newspaper.