Mother Goose

The Dame — typically the character of Mother Goose herself — is a comedic female role traditionally performed by a male actor in exaggerated costume and makeup. This convention of principal boy and dame cross-drawing is one of the defining hallmarks of British pantomime dating back to the 19th century.

Like all traditional British pantomimes, Mother Goose is staged during the Christmas and New Year season, typically running from December into early January. Major venues across the UK, including the London Palladium, mount large-scale star-cast pantomime productions during this festive window each year.

The plot generally follows Mother Goose's desire for wealth and youth, often involving a magical goose that lays golden eggs and a villain — frequently a demon or sultan — who tempts her into trading the goose away. The narrative resolves with Mother Goose choosing virtue over vanity, accompanied throughout by the comic antics of the Dame and a principal boy.

The figure of Mother Goose traces to English nursery rhyme compilations of the 18th century, with the name reportedly appearing in print around 1760. Charles Perrault's 1697 collection of fairy tales, published in French as "Contes de ma mère l'Oye" (Tales of Mother Goose), also firmly established the character in European literary tradition.