Aladdin

Alan P. Frayn must be doing well out of his pantomime scripts – this was the third of his offerings I have seen this season.  It’s not difficult to understand why they are so popular: they take well-loved stories, embrace the traditions of pantomime, and are packed with family-friendly jokes and word-play.  In this production, anyone concerned about cultural misappropriation will not necessarily have enjoyed the punning on Chinese names, but who could object to the “dark, dangerous and desolate place” turning out to be Swindon?  And if you came along hoping to boo the baddie, join in with the calls and responses, and have a good sing at the end then you will not have been disappointed.

This was undeniably a village pantomime, with a handful of family names well represented in the programme, and it meant that there was a terrific community spirit about the whole enterprise.  The casting was very inclusive, and there were many opportunities for young people to learn the traditions of the genre alongside more experienced performers.  One skill that was particularly well understood is that pantomime is a performance: the audience isn’t there merely to observe, but to be engaged, and the entire company pretty much ignored the fourth wall, kept their eyes up to the audience, and challenged us not to be an integral part of the show.

The pantomime incorporated quite a few songs, well chosen to fit into the narrative, and the unison company singing was often impressively strong, with everyone holding the tune and enunciating clearly.  Several of the songs had been choreographed, and as is often the case the armography was particularly energetic.  The staging was very good considering the limitations of the venue and the budget, notably the four columns with trailing plants which represented the Palace Gardens, while key properties included plenty of baskets in the laundry, a selection of modified garments (including a pair of Donald Trump’s boxers – best not mentioned) and sufficient bling to bring a bit of sparkle to the Cave à la Din.

The director did a splendid job in staging such an accomplished production with the limited resources at her disposal.  This “Aladdin” was well-cast, it looked and sounded good; and the technical aspects exceeded what you might expect in a Community Hall.  It was perhaps a bit short on slapstick and physical comedy, and some of the jokes need to be more quick-fire, but this was a genuinely inclusive, community pantomime: there was real engagement between the company and audience, and a sense of togetherness in the Hall.  The show gave opportunities to some younger performers to learn the traditions of this distinctive genre alongside more experienced actors, and they will remember taking part for a long time.  And we, the audience, were treated to an enjoyable evening of escapist entertainment, far away from airport runways and tariffs and Trump.  Apart from his boxers, of course.

© NODA CIO.  All rights reserved.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.