Aladdin

This was a marvellous production full of fabulous characters. We knew we were in for a treat as soon as the curtain rose. I think there was a gasp, I certainly gasped, as we set our eyes upon the most wonderful array of costumes, as the whole company poured onto the stage for an energetic welcome with ‘Let us entertain you’. This energy continued throughout.

Because of the alignment of the stage with the seating area along the ‘long’ side of Peaslake’s Memorial Hall, there is a feeling of immediacy to Peaslake’s productions, one is very close to the action, which I very much enjoy.

The four-piece band was placed to the right of the stage and greatly added to the fun and excitement.

The flats were printed with large Chinese script descending on a dark purple or blue background. The various backdrops were on a projection, and were splendid – the palace staircase, Chinese houses, a temple I think at one stage, the gloomy cave. At one point a row of suitors for Princess Yasmin was peeled off one by one, all unsuitable of course, especially the one who looked scarily like Donald J Trump!

There was a small but very effective market stall on wheels draped with oriental shawls, rugs and hung with lamps, pitchers and so on. Twankey’s laundry had hanging clothes and a washing machine. The Cave of Doom was suitably intimidating with a huge rock in the middle.

Lighting and sound were very effective throughout, with some good sound effects and good use of spots.

The costumes were astonishingly fascinating, so many (a cast of 15) they filled the stage with sparkly colour and great design. Everything seemed to sparkle and glisten – tunics, trousers, Widow Twankey’s shoes, everyone’s face makeup. Hilary Solt was the mastermind behind it all.    Superb attention to detail – I didn’t know where to look!

Widow Twankey’s shoes were a triumph – sequined, with the most amazingly large curled up toes. Her black high wig, long elaborate earrings, fabulous makeup and dresses, wonderful! Aladdin’s blue and white checked tunic over horizontally-striped trousers was very jolly. The Emperor’s gold hat was the most elaborate affair, I couldn’t take my eyes off it, never seen anything like it, things seemed to dangle off it, WHAT a design! His long green embroidered over-cloak, the Empress’s purple and white gown and impressive bejewelled headdress, along with Princess Yasmin’s pretty green embroidered dress all gave us to understand their regal importance. Huff and Puff in black caps and yellow tunics with black dragons printed on them; the market traders in the Chinese coolie hats and bright red tunics, and I was also fascinated by Bluster’s elaborate blue top. So much to look at and enjoy, and that’s BEFORE we encountered the final three main characters.

Abanazar in black thigh high-heeled platform boots, black tights, short jumpsuit with wide bejewelled-like belt, turban with a very long feather at the top, astonishing makeup, and nails! What nails – had to be seen to be believed, I spent a lot of time looking at them!

The skeleton/ghost, all shaggy in white on one side, black with skeleton on the other, great face makeup and wig. Jean Genie bounded onto the stage to everyone’ s delight, in silver and red jumpsuit, amazing Bowie makeup, and preposterous Bowie wig. What a thrill!

All the characters in this production were real, by that I mean they  made a clear impact, from the lovely yet hapless market traders Mungo Jack and Nifty Nibs (Jess Kilfeather and Charlotte Palmer), with the slightly, now, was he dozy or did he have the good ideas, anyway he was endearing and fun, Bazoo the Barterer (Mark Taylor), right through to the larger than life final character we met, Jean Genie. More about him later.

The Palace Officials Bluster and Wafflelot (Nick Boisseau and Mark Flynn) were an odd pair, with Bluster trying to rein in the overboisterous Wafflelot who just seemed to bound about in his silver sparkly trousers all over the place! Very jolly, the two of them.

Of course there was great consternation at the palace about the need to get Princess Yasmin suitably married off, despite her yearning love for young sunny-natured yet pretty hopeless Aladdin. Mercy Marshall’s feisty Princess Yasmin made a refreshing change, a strong character for once, well matched in fact with our characterful Aladdin, played by Kate MacDougall. The Emperor (David Williams) was of course sweetly under the thumb of his Empress (Sarah Knott), who seemed to be used to getting her own way, until she was confronted with her strong-willed daughter.

Huff and Puff, the rather ineffectual palace guards were fun – the extremely erudite and wordy Huff forever frustrating the more practical Puff. Felix Cuthbert made this role his own – he certainly has a way with words! Katie Kinnes had a lot to put up with!

Bobby Knott made a great Widow Twankey, he always seemed to be beaming. Peter Elliott was superb as the skeleton/ghost, who appeared in the Cave of Doom. He appeared, waved his hands around a bit, and we waited…..and waited…..and waited. We were all spellbound. Eventually two cute skeletons appeared, danced wonderfully, as the skeleton/ghost, together with much of the audience, sang the skeleton song: ‘Them bones, them bones, them dry bones’. I am told there had been some kind of hiccup, but for me this was an interlude of pure theatre magic, wouldn’t have been half as much fun without that hiccup!

Abanazar. I don’t think there could possibly have been a better Abanazar in the whole long history of Aladdin. Alessandra Daidone held the stage the minute she appeared, she was electric! As she repeatedly boomed out to Aladdin that he was to search for the lamp in the CAVE OF DOOM; as she menaced poor Princess Yasmin; as she belted out those Queen numbers, this once again was theatre at its best.

And then we get to Jean Genie. Mike Sutton had been sitting quietly playing Lead Guitar with the band all through the first half, wearing his coolie hat. Widow Twankey, who had joined Aladdin in the CAVE OF DOOM, rubbed the lamp, and onto the stage exploded the apparition of a larger than life Jean Genie in his red and silver suit, still clutching and playing his guitar, as we all sang along. Absolute perfection.

Great direction; great casting; constant action; super ideas; fabulously colourful; glorious music, indeed pure panto joy!

Thank you, Peaslake Players.

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