Welcome to the community hub built on top of the Buttons (pantomime) Wikipedia article.
Here, you can discuss, collect, and organize anything related to Buttons (pantomime). The
purpose of the hub is to connect people, foster deeper knowledge, and help improve
the root Wikipedia article.
An actor playing Buttons in a 2015 pantomime in Herne Bay, England
Buttons is a traditional character in Cinderellapantomimes, and is commonly portrayed in Cinderella pantomimes throughout the UK and Australia. He is typically a male servant of the household who helps Cinderella and loves her, and who is liked and trusted but not loved by her.[1] The character has sometimes been called Pedro.[2][3][4]
The character first appeared in 1860 at the Strand Theatre, London in a version of the story derived from the opera La Cenerentola by Rossini. Rossini includes a character Dandini as assistant to the Prince, which was also included, and a complementary character for Cinderella, called Buttoni was added for the pantomime at this time.[5][6] 'Buttons' was at that time a name for a young male servant or pageboy commonly having gilt buttons down the front of his jacket.[7]
While the character introduces a note of pathos in his unrequited love for Cinderella,[1][8] he is often portrayed in a comic tone.[1][6]
^ abcBrown, Richard (2002). ""When in doubt do gender": Constructing Masculinities in "Penelope," "they're all Buttons men"". Joyce Studies Annual. 13: 156–7. doi:10.1353/joy.2002.0005. S2CID193158040.
^"Theatricals". The Age. London. 17 November 1839.
^"The Drama". Bell's Life in London and Sporting Chronicle. London. 6 October 1844.
^Marie, Louise (29 May 1891). "Tea Table Talk". The Dart. Birmingham.
^Bovey, Paul. "A Very Slippery Tale"(PDF). panto.johngood.com. John Good. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
^ abcKaplan, Charles (1984). "The Only Native British Art Form". The Antioch Review. 42 (3): 266–276. doi:10.2307/4611362. JSTOR4611362.
