Playing a pantomime dame

The pantomime is a very British theatrical tradition, a light, amusing form of entertainment 'for all the family', part play, part musical, and usually on over Christmas and through January, even into February. A trip to a Christmas pantomime is a very common tradition for many people.
The pantomime plot is a popular re-working of a known story (usually a fairytale such as The Sleeping Beauty, Red Riding Hood, or Puss-in-Boots). Jack and the Beanstalk, for instance, is about a young boy who climbs up a bean plant and meets a bad giant at the top.

It appeals to a child's take on (=view of) the world - the jokes are often obvious - so obvious the audience groans when they are told. There is also a certain amount of interaction with the audience - who are obliged to join in. One convention is that characters are clearly either the 'goodies' or the baddies', and the audience have to help the 'goodies' win against the 'baddies'. When the villain (the Big Baddie) comes on the audience has to shout to alert the hero or heroine (the Good Characters) with phrases such as "He's behind you!" or there can be a 'code' such as "fish and chips" which the character will misunderstand, forcing the audience to shout louder or add explanations. Another tradition in pantomime are variations on the phrases "oh yes, (s)he is!" / and "oh no (s)he isn't!" which are exchanged on numerous occasions.
Another tradition is to boo or hiss the 'baddies' to show disapproval.

Playing a pantomime dame

One convention associated with pantomime is the custom for a man to play the main woman's part - the Dame. The Dame wears outrageous dresses and a wig and she is always big, busty, loud and heavily made-up, a figure of fun. The principal male part is played by a woman - the rôle is called the Principal Boy.

This is an interview with four men who have acted the 'dame' . The voices you hear when they are 'in rôle' (eg acting) are typical of the type of voices adopted for the part of the dame.

1 What adverbial phrase does the actor use meaning before the show begins, which is only used in the theatre?
2 The actors quote different amounts of time that it takes them to put their make-up on. By how much does this vary?
3 The actor suggests two typical 'characters' on whom men might create the dame they're playing - what are these?
4 Because the 'Dame' is outrageous, (s)he can take risks the actor would not normally take. What phrasal prepositional verb expresses this, here?
5 Acting a dame is often great fun for an actor. Can you give any 3 aspects of acting a dame that the men mention enjoying?
6 What paradox does one man describe?
7 What three things are quoted as constituting 'Everything a man could wish for!" (none of them being ' a woman', as implied in the dame's line!)
8 Does the actor have to act the part of a woman throughout the pantomime?
9 Do any of them say they get stage fright?
10 Can you supply 3 comments that are made about costumes?
11 What does one actor explain is physically demanding about costume-changes?
12 What was the result of acting in a pantomime for one actor?
13 How did he feel about this?
14 Can you detail some of the reasons acting a Dame is a busy part to play?