Riot, Rebellion and Bloody Insurrection  3 / 5 stars Viaduct,
Halifax Riot, Rebellion and Bloody Insurrection at Viaduct,
Halifax Riot, Rebellion and Bloody Insurrection at Viaduct,
Halifax Photograph: Porl Medlock Porl Medlock/PR  Perhaps it was
inevitable that the politically motivated punk band Chumbawamba
should turn to producing pantomime. The refrain of their best-
known song, Tubthumping ("I get knocked down, but I get up
again") was an infuriatingly catchy summation of the art of the
slapstick; and they know more than most about the impact of a
bucket of water, as John Prescott discovered to his cost at the
Brit awards in 1998.  Yet after that brief spurt of notoriety,
the band's chart success seemed to dry out faster than the
Deputy PM's trousers; hence the shift towards pantomime, which
is often seen to be the last resort of a flagging career.
However, this is not the first time members of the band have
turned towards the stage. Founder Boff Whalley and former singer
Alice Nutter have had work produc