QUIZTIME QUIZZES

1. Which word, associated with Christmas comes from a Greek word meaning ‘we can act anything’?
Pantomime
2. What is odd about the principal boy and the dame in a pantomime?
They’re both played by a member of the opposite sex
3. In the Pantomime ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’, Jack receives beans in exchange for what?
His Mother’s Cow - mother called Dame Trott
4. Which Pantomime features the character Maid Marion?
Babes in the Wood
5. Its name will ring a bell with members of the legal profession; in 1716 which London theatre put on England’s first pantomime ?
Lincoln’s Inn (Theatre)
6. In the pantomime Aladdin what was the name of Aladdin’s brother?
Wishy Washy
7. Dressed as which pantomime villain did Leslie Grantham, allegedly, indulge in sex play on his webcam in 2004?
Captain Hook - Amanda, the 23-year-old blonde with whom Leslie Grantham played online sex games was known as The Halo Polisher!
8. In traditional pantomime who is the sweetheart of Harlequin?
Columbine
9. In which Christmas pantomime does buttons appear?
Cinderella
10. Which pantomime character marries Alice Fitzwarren?
Dick Whittington
11. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves, Sinbad The Sailor and Aladdin all derive from which collection of Middle East tales?
The Arabian Nights
12. In the original pantomimes, what were breeches roles?
Male roles played by women
13. What is the name of the father of Cinderella and The Ugly Sisters?
Baron Hardup
14. Which wooden bat, originally used as a prop by the character Harlequin, came to give its name for a type of comedy used in pantomime?
Slap Stick
15. Which famous clown pioneered the use of pantomime dames during the 19th century?
Joseph Grimaldi
16. Charles Perrault wrote whose book of Fairy Tales which included Puss In Boots, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Red Riding Hood?
Mother Goose’s
17. Fe Fi Fo Fum I smell the blood of an Englishman is a classic line from which pantomime?
Jack & the Beanstalk
18. In which Pantomime does Idle Jack appear?
Dick Whittington
19. Which two pantomimes did Cliff Richard record soundtracks of in the 60s?
Aladdin and Cinderella
20. The last lines of a pantomime have two traditions associated with them - name either?
They should be in rhyming couplets and they should never be spoken in rehearsal

21. Which traditional pantomime features a character called Dandini?
Cinderella
22. What is the name of the cow in the pantomime Jack and the Beanstalk?
Old Buttercup
23. What name is given to the leading male role in a pantomime, usually played by a woman?
Principal Boy
24. Which pantomime contains the goose that lays the golden egg?
Jack & the Beanstalk
25. Medieval English Christmas pantomimes did not include which character - St. Nicholas, The Bold Slasher, Father Christmas or The Turkish Knight?
St. Nicholas - In Medieval England, Nicholas was just another saint - he had not yet metamorphosed into Santa Claus and had nothing to do with Christmas
26. In pantomime, what is Aladdins surname?
Twankey (his mother was widow Twankey)
27. In Pantomime, who is Princess Marcella?
Sleeping Beauty
28. Which Pantomime character slaps his thigh every time he speaks his name?
Dick Whittington
29. What does Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother turn into a coach?
A Pumpkin
30. Who eat the Gingerbread House?
Hansel and Gretel
31. In pantomime who was the son of mustafa a poor tailor of China?
Aladdin
32. What told Dick Whittington to ‘turn again’?
The Bells of London
33. Who took the Babes into the Wood?
Their Father
34. What is the occupation of the Seven Dwarfs who befriend Snow White?
Miners
35. In which pantomime would you meet a ticking crocodile?
Peter Pan
36. Which pantomime character shares their name with a brand of children’s confectionary?
Buttons
37. In which pantomime would you find King Rat?
Dick Whittington
38. Does the Fairy Godmother come on stage right or stage left?
Stage right
39. Which is the most popular Pantomime?
Cinderella
40. In which year was the first pantomime produced in Britain?
1717
- In which year did Frank Bruno retire after losing to Mike Tyson leaving him plenty of time for Panto?
1996

Pantomime   
  First published in 1697 by Charles Perrault, though can be traced back to 9th century China. Disney included a dress-making mouse called Gus. The ‘pantoufles’ are probably mis-translated, but to get married you still have to put your foot in it.
Cinderella
  First written has a pantomime by Charles Dibdin in 1803. Charles Dickens is reputed to have said "I should have known perfect bliss" if he had been able to marry the heroine. In different versions Dickens’ bride-to-be has been eaten, saved, rescued and escaped - sometimes even her elderly relative gets away too.
Little Red Riding Hood
  James was born May 9, 1860 in Kirriemuir, Scotland. When James was only six years old, his older brother David (their mother’s favourite son) died. James spent the rest of his childhood trying to replace his brother for his mourning mother. This attempt to replace a forever-young David would influence the rest of James’s adult life and his writing. Before it was a play, this story was a small story in a 1902 book called The Little White Bird. In 1906, the section that originated this tale was published separately as a book called "<title character> in Kensington Gardens".  
Peter Pan
  Although the most famous version of the tale today is Disney’s classic animated film, the tale has existed in many versions for many centuries - the Grimms collected the tale from two sisters but it had also appeared with little variation from Ireland to Asia Minor to Central Africa. Disney actually resurrected some of the more gruesome aspects of the tale which had been edited out in previous versions intended for children, especially the queen’s demand the heart be delivered to her as proof of the child’s death. Some would say the Disney version is a miner classic!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
  The first literary version of the tale appeared in 1734 as a story about a young ne’er-do-well horticulturalist with lofty aspirations called Jack Spriggins. Hi smother was less than pleased with his bovine bartering, however.
Jack and the Beanstalk

1. Name the Christmas song that includes the lyrics … ’You better watch out, you better not cry, better not pout, I’m telling you why’?
Santa Claus is coming to town
(Cryptic - Expectation of arrival to populated area by mythical, masculine, perennial gift-giver)
2. Which of Santa’s reindeer shares its name with a high street store?
Comet
3. In which year did James Edgar become the worlds first store Santa Claus - 1890, 1895 or 1901?
1890
4. What do Santa’s elves have on the end of their shoes?
Bells
5. Which film’s plot concerns a nice old man who claims to be Santa Claus. He is institutionalised as insane and a young lawyer decides to defend him by arguing in court that he is the real thing?
Miracle on 34th Street
6. True or False - The name Santa Claus is derived from the Dutch language?
True
7. In Raymond Briggs’ story “The Snowman”, what is the name of the little boy whom the snowman takes to Santa Claus’s party?
James
8. In ‘Frosty The Snowman’ who brought Frosty back to life?
Santa Claus
9. In which European country does Santa Claus have a female counterpart known as Befana, Holland, Austria or Italy?
Italy
10. If Santa puts his finger on the side of his nose, and nods his head, what is he about to do?
He is about to go back up the chimney
11. Which actor played an Elf called patch in “Santa Claus The Movie”?
Dudley Moore
12. On Christmas Eve, which American government agency tracks Santa’s sleigh?
NORAD
13. Not including Rudolph, how many reindeer pull Santa’s sleigh?
Eight - Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner and Blitzen
14. What is the capital of Tenerife and is also the name of a city in California?
Santa Cruz
15. True or False - Santa Clause works in lots of countries delivering presents but in Syria ‘A Wise mans Camel’ does the job?
True
16. Santa Barbara is located in which US State?
California
17. In Sweden, reindeer do not pull Santa’s sleigh. Which animals do, huskies, goats, or horses?
Goats (In Finland Santa leaves his sleigh behind and rides on a goat named Ukko - Ukko is made of straw!)
18. Which seasonal kiddy attraction in the Finnish town of Rovaniemi receives a £125,000 EU grant?
Santa’s Grotto
19. Are Santa’s reindeer male or female?
Female – Males lose their antlers in December / Vixen is supposed to be the only female
20. Family Fortunes Question - Top Answer Required - Real or Fictional, name a famous bearded man?
Santa Claus / Richard Branson / Noel Edmonds / Rolf Harris / David Bellamy

21. Where was I when I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus?
On the stairs - Mommy was under the mistletoe!
22. What is the Capital of ‘The Dominican Republic’?
Santa Domingo
23. Christians in China call Santa Claus Dun Che Lao Ren, which means, A) Christmas old man, B) Winter festival spirit, C) Firecracker red suit or D) Revered father white beard?
A) Christmas old man
24. Three ships were led by Christopher Columbus in his search for a new Asia in 1492, the Nina, the Pinta were two, what was the name of the third ship?
Santa Maria
25. Who had a minor hit in 1986 with the song "Santa Claus Is On The Dole"?
Spitting Image
26. Gwizador is which European countries equivalent of Santa Claus – Hungary, Poland or Denmark?
Poland
27. Which actor turned into Santa in the film ‘The Santa Claus’?
Tim Allen
28. Bells Nichols is Santa Claus’s brother in which European country - France, Switzerland or Holland?
France
29. What name is California’s Santa Clara County, the centre of the US Computer Industry, more commonly called?
Silicon Valley
30. What great work of art did Leonardo Da Vinci paint on the refectory wall for the dominican monks of Santa Marie Delle Grazie?
The Last Supper (In Milan)
31. Father Frost or an old woman called Nabushka is which countries equivalents of Santa Claus?
Russia
32. What is the capital of the American State New Mexico?
Santa Fe
33. One point each - what seasonal names do the dog and cat have in ‘The Simpson’s’?
Santa’s Little Helper and Snowball
34. Kriss Kringle is which European countries equivalent of our Santa Claus?
Germany - "Christkindl" evolved into Kriss Kringle
35. True or False - In Minnesota its illegal for a woman to be dressed as Santa Clause in the street?
True - woman can get 30 days jail for impersonating Santa Claus
36. Which famous company claims that the red and white suit worn by modern day Santa Claus was originally based on an idea from them?
Coca-Cola - before Santa was always pictured wearing flowing multi-coloured robes - or traditionally green
37. Which sport holds its main British events at Santa Pod?
Drag Racing
38. In which Californian coastal town can you find the legendary ‘Muscle Beach’?
Santa Monica
39. Which famous young actress said "I stopped believing in Santa Claus when I was six. My mother took me to see him in a department store and he asked for my autograph"?
Shirley Temple
40. What is the only anagram of the word Santa?
Satan
Tiebreaker - How many towns in the USA are called Santa Claus?
Allegedly there are 11 towns called Santa Claus across 8 states
Merry Christmas!

1. Olivia Newton John was the UK’s representative in the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest, she was beaten by which Song / Artist?
Waterloo / Abba
2. What was outlawed in 1439 to halt the spread of the plague?
Kissing
3. Which actor starred in 112 films including ‘The story of G.I. Joe’ for which he was nominated for an Oscar and ‘River of No Return’ when he starred opposite Marilyn Monroe?
Robert Mitchum
4. GREECE HOG MAIL is an anagram of which singer?
George Michael
5. If a dish is described as ‘Mornay’ what is it served with?
A Cheese Sauce
6. What colour is the roof of World Champion Stock Car Drivers?
Gold
7. Who was the first solo teenager to top the British Pop Charts?
Paul Anka
8. What is the usual main meat ingredient of ‘Shish Kebab’?
Lamb
9. Which Central American country’s name means ‘The Saviour’?
El Salvador
10. What kind of skins does a Fellmonger deal in?
Sheep Skins
11. Which fruit’s varieties include ‘Tonto’ and ‘Sweetheart’?
Strawberry
12. What is a Springbok doing if it is Pronking?
Bouncing up and down
13. What could you first dial on 1st July 1937?
999
14. What do Scotsmen hope to get on their Limerick or O’Shaughnessy?
A Fish
15. Which major tourist attraction stands close to the Campo Santo Cemetery?
Leaning Tower of Pisa
16. Which is Europe’s most densely forested country?
Finland
17. Which American country can offer a 47 miles coach ride from the Atlantic to the Pacific?
Panama
18. Which bank is on your left if you are swimming upstream?
Right Bank
19. In which country are Non-Austrian Tyroleans born?
Italy
20. What do Notaphiles collect?
Bank Notes

21. In January 1911, what did Eugene Ely become the first man to land a plane on?
A Ship
22. What animal must stand at least 17 hands tall to meet the breed standard?
Shire Horse
23. What is the most popular street name in the USA, 1st street, 2nd street, Elm street or Independence street?
2nd Street
24. What was the first ever sport to be broadcast on BBC television?
Boxing - a training demo
25. Which came first Blackpool Tower or Blackpool Illuminations?
Illuminations 1879 / Tower 1894
26. Which country has a Caribbean and a Pacific coast, is the only country without an army and its national symbol is an oxcart?
Costa Rica
27. Which famous British singer was once billed as Tommy Scott the Twisting Vocalist?
Tom Jones
28. What was the Squadron number of the Dambusters?
617 Squadron
29. Which British port had the World’s first radar station?
Liverpool
30. What was the name of Quint’s boat in the film Jaws?
Orca
31. Which country has had two King Carols?
Romania
32. Why have there never been any photographs of an Australian Willy-Willy?
It is a Wind
33. Which leg is below his right arm if you study a left handed violinist in a mirror?
Right!
34. In which motel was Marion Crane stabbed to death?
Bate’s Motel
35. Which vegetable yields the most pounds per acre?
Cabbage
36. When does the Chattanooga Choo Choo leave Pennsylvania Station?
A Quarter to Five
37. Which river is closest to the grave of Pocohontas?
The Thames
38. What is the official language of Bangladesh?
Bengali
39. Who was the first British Prime Minister to fly supersonic on Concorde?
James Callaghan
40. What date is St. Patrick’s Day in a leap year?
March 17th

TIE-BREAKER - How many muscles are there in the human body?
700