A British primary school has stirred up a heated debate after announcing it will exclude all Christmas references from its upcoming pantomime production of “Jack and the Beanstalk” to ensure a more "inclusive" event.
Wherwell Primary School, located in Andover, informed parents of its 126 pupils that the traditional holiday-themed elements, including Christmas songs, would be removed from the performance, according to the Daily Mail.
The decision was outlined in a letter from headteacher Mandy Ovenden, who explained that the pantomime, while set during the festive season, was not specifically a Christmas event.
"In order for it to be enjoyed by everyone," the letter read, "we have made changes to remove Christmas songs and references. We are keen that ALL of our children should enjoy the pantomime and for it to be a fully inclusive event."
Ovenden further reassured parents that the school would continue to celebrate Christmas with other events later in the term, ensuring that those who traditionally celebrate the holiday would not miss out.
However, the move has been met with widespread backlash from some parents who expressed frustration at the removal of the Christmas elements. One parent, speaking to the Daily Mail, said, "This shouldn't be allowed. Christmas is celebrated all over the U.K. and the world, and you just can't eradicate it so a few people will not be offended."
In response to the growing criticism, Ovenden sent a second letter to parents explaining the school’s rationale for making the production more inclusive. She revealed that after discussions with the pantomime company, it became clear that Christmas-themed songs were part of their standard performance. The school, she added, was mindful of the diversity within its community, with some families either not celebrating Christmas or observing it in a different way.
"We have a number of families who either do not celebrate Christmas or do so in a different way. The children of these families are removed from events such as this, at the request of their parents," Ovenden explained.
The headteacher emphasized that the decision to make the pantomime inclusive was in line with the school's ethos of respecting and acknowledging the different traditions within its student body.
A spokesperson for Chaplins Pantos, the group hired to stage the performance, told the Mail that they typically include festive elements, such as Christmas songs or mentions of Santa Claus, in their performances. Wherwell Primary School, however, specifically requested that no Christmas references be made in their latest show, the spokesperson said.
"While we don't always mention Santa Claus, our shows usually feature a Christmas song or some reference to the holiday,” he was quoted as saying. “On this occasion, the school asked us to refrain from including any such references."
A staple of Christmas theater in the U.K., pantomimes, or “pantos” for short, take familiar stories like “Cinderella” or “Peter Pan” and transform them into lively, musical comedies with colorful costumes, catchy songs, slapstick humor, and plenty of audience participation.
Pantomimes have become a traditional part of Christmas festivities across the U.K., with productions staged in theaters nationwide every year. According to a 2016 study, pantomimes surpassed comedy as the genre that draws the biggest audiences in the region.
