Hester

Panto (along with Punch & Judy) almost certainly seems to have sprung from the Italian Commedia Dell' Arte, linked - in the case of pantomime - with nursery rhymes and childrens' stories. Mummers plays were also influenced by this form (though I'm currently putting together a rather long piece to show that it wasn't the inspiration for mummers plays). The similarity of "feel" probably comes from this common influence.

:-)
Ian