Aladdin

Panto is a difficult genre, much harder than the uninitiated think.  It requires energy, pace and attack.  It also requires a lively chorus ensemble and a Dame adroit at interacting with the audience. 

This year’s offering from The Over Players was Ben Crocker’s Aladdin set in China and the excellent programme notes gave a bit of background to the set designed by Helen Foster.  The street scene and Aladdin’s Palace were particularly impressive.  Costumes, particularly for the Principals were superb.  Panto Props are always a challenge but all requirements were well met. MD Mike Bernard kept the sound level from overpowering the singers and the sound effects all worked well.  I was slightly fazed by the lighting design.  Personally I am not a fan of rotating lights which blind the audience and I think the blackout at the end of each song was a bit odd. As I say that’s just my personal opinion.  There was good volume from the Chorus throughout and the choreography was executed well.  

The Prologue in this show begins front of tabs with Abanazar and the Genie of the Ring.  Chas Barclay was the most laid back Abanazar I have every seen. Nevertheless he got the requisite boos.  We also met the Genie of the Ring during the Prologue well played by Sheena Grummitt.

Over Players has some good youngsters coming through not least Jonathon Cardwell who did a first-rate job as PC Pong despite obviously struggling with a bad throat.  He worked really well with the more experienced Jane Beresford as Sergeant Ping.

Harry Ashby took on the role of Wishee Washee working in tandem, with Nobby the Panda (great characterisation from Jess Turpin in the skin part) and being a foil for much of the Dame’s comedy.  Les Wheeler as The Emperor of China looked splendid as did an effervescent Simon Jones as the Genie of the Lamp.

Aladdin played by Kirsty Smillie and Vicky Richards as Princess Jasmine were both in good voice and, I felt, interacted well together.   Being in the titular role Kirsty was required to be directly involved in the action with the whole cast from Chorus to the Emperor of China which she did with aplomb.

Matt Sweeney donned the frock again this year as Widow Twankey.  I can count on one hand Dames who can work an audience well and Mr Sweeney is one of them.  The fact that many of his past and present school pupils and their families turn up in their numbers year after year, should take nothing away from what was an absolutely splendid performance as he certainly had the audience in the palm of his hand from the off.

This was a long show at around 3 hours including the interval.  Early in the week the performance suffered from lack of pace caused by slow cue bite and prompts.  However, I am sure the pace picked up and the performances became slicker as the week went on.  As usual Over Players produced a pantomime full of colour and fun.  I’m off to buy some bamboo shoots. (You had to be there!)

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