The pantomime villain is the engine of the show. Without genuine menace, the hero's triumph means nothing and the audience has no one to boo. I've written villains across fourteen scripts, and the same craft questions come up every time. Here's what I think makes the difference.

Pantomimes draws on a set of recurring character types, each with a specific job to do in the story and in the room and understanding them is essential to a great show. Here is a proper look at all of them.