It’s panto time again – Oh yes it is! Don’t miss Antwerp’s very own legend brought to life

Antwerp-based British American Theatrical Society BATS is bringing to the stage a pantomime with a difference in the New Year. 

The premiere of Brabo and the Giant, specially written and directed by Nathan Daeche Greene, is staged on 17 and 18 January.

While annual pantomimes have been at the heart of the society’s activities since it was founded in 1956, this latest production combines BATS’ own panto tradition and experience with its love for Antwerp.

Brabo and the Giant weaves together goodies, baddies, love interest, comedy, songs, risqué double entendres and a healthy  disrespect for historical accuracy in a re-telling of the classic Antwerp legend of the giant Antigoon and the brave centurion Brabo.

“Bringing Brabo and the Giant to the stage has been a passion project driven by my love for Antwerp’s folklore and the pure joy of pantomime,” says Daeche Greene.

“I wanted to take a legend many people know only in passing — the tale behind the hand on Antwerp’s coat of arms — and transform it into a vibrant, funny, heartwarming family show that everyone can enjoy, whether they know the story or not,” he adds.

In this ode to the city BATS loves, audiences can join the young hero Brabo as he works day and night in his mother Dame Estrella’s famous bakery – home of the best buns in Antwerp. But trouble is never far away... the sly and scheming businessman Maximillian De Vos will stop at nothing to take over the last business he doesn’t yet own. With his reluctant daughter Marie caught in the middle, Maximillian hatches an evil plan that leads him all the way to France – and straight to the fearsome Giant Antigoon.

But can Brabo face up to this giant challenge? Can he save his family’s bakery, win Marie’s heart, and protect Antwerp from the most cunning villain the city has ever known?

“I wrote this panto to blend local heritage with the classic panto traditions we all love: big laughs, larger-than-life villains, audience participation, and a beating heart of hope and bravery,” explains Daeche Greene.

“By introducing new characters — like the mischievous villain Maximilian De Vos, our lovable waffle-baking Dame, and the blossoming romance between Brabo and Marie — I was able to bring fresh life and modern humour to an ancient myth.”

Brabo and the Giant
17 January 19.30; 18 January 13.00 & 17.30
Mark Liebrecht Schouwburg
Heilig-Kruisstraat 16
Mortsel, Antwerp