Written and performed by Johnny McKnight, and directed by John Tiffany, She’s Behind You takes the audience behind the curtain of the panto dame, examining the real story that takes place beyond the greasepaint.
Originally conceived as part of the Cameron Lectures (in association with the University of Glasgow and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), She’s Behind You is both hilarious and highly personal. As our hostess-with-the-mostest, Dorothy Blawna-Gale, McKnight details his life in panto from shy Silly Billy to delightful Dame, sharing the “rules” of the style and how he learned to break them.
For those unfamiliar with the form, pantomime is a family show performed at Christmas, predominantly in the UK. The role of Dame is traditionally played by a man in drag, while principal boy would be a woman in boys’ attire. Developed from Commedia D’ell Arte, there are stock characters—heroes and villains—and it always ends with a wedding. There are songs, dances, and jokes that work on two levels: one for the grown ups and another for the kids. The characters speak directly to the audience, and participation is a key part of the fun – the show’s title echoing one of the most familiar refrains shouted out by children and adults alike. As McKnight repeats, “You don’t just see panto, panto sees you”.
As both writer and performer, McKnight is extremely honest about the way pantomime has developed over his twenty-year career, refusing to shy away from stories that admit sexist, homophobic and racist tropes and jokes were part of its patter throughout the years. The cultural appropriation that underscored productions of Aladdin in the 80s and 90s, for example, is something he is not proud of, but does not deny. Instead he sets out to do better and be better, turning his hand to writing shows that pushed for change.
It was through his involvement in pantomime that McKnight found peace with his own sexuality, and also realised that women and queer people were underrepresented in casts and storylines. In his numerous christmas shows since, he has set out to redress that balance, reclaiming the subversive power of panto and smashing boundaries.
Alongside all the glitter and humour, this is a surprisingly moving piece of theatre – only possible because McKnight and Tiffany have crafted a narrative that builds rapport from the off and encourages the audience to really invest. Proof positive that you can love and respect an art form, while simultaneously dragging it into the modern world by refusing to punch down.
By Deborah Klayman
She’s Behind You plays at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh until 24th August 2025.
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