Aladdin

That a company are capable of putting on this level of quality and high production values in a local community centre is absolutely astonishing. Right from the outset, Aladdin takes your breath away. Professional level lighting and sound, live music, confident actors able to banter with the audience: all absolutely amazing. The fun that they have on stage exuded to the audience in a warm, welcoming and fun way, giving us permission to laugh at everything, and they also make sure that the audience interactions never dipped, as they reminded us throughout. 

The orchestra was amazing: congratulations to Marc Charlton and the musicians, including the drums in a booth which is not something you usually see, illustrating the understanding that the team have for balance in musical instruments. The actors had individual microphones and they did incredibly well throughout, overcoming slight technical hitches with enviable professionalism and carrying on regardless. The voices soared, and were perfectly balanced in group scenes as well. Dancing and choreography was another major strength of this production: interesting shapes, and dances incorporated both modern moves and homages to traditional pantomimes; and everyone in time and together knowing exactly what they should be doing. 

All the actors did incredibly well, and the more experienced were generous with the less experienced in their support. Deserving special praise is Mcauley Parker who was outstanding as Wishee Washee Twankey, showing professional level ability in improvising and audience interaction, and great presence on stage. His warmth, energy and fun lit up the whole show. Dave Fricker gave an astonishing performance as Abanazar, who was the baddie we love to hate. The set piece where he asked for special music for a song and was given “baby shark” by the orchestra was hilarious, and the laughs kept coming with the lights all over the place then settling on green, the smoke coming from the wrong direction (“it’s behind you!”) and finally the microphone effects making him sound like he was on Helium – absolutely guffaw funny, and the energy didn’t drop for a second. He held the whole piece for quite a long time all alone on the stage: brilliant job. One of the best baddies ever. 

Of course a panto needs a good Dame: Adam Riggs presented a cheeky, ever costume and wig changing Widow Twankey with a gentle presence at the start which grew and grew through the show. The set piece where Widow Twankey washes Wishee Washee Twankey in the washing machine and dryer was super: including a ‘naked’ version with a great body costume and obliging fig leaf when the clothes had washed away; and a surprise younger Wishee Washey appearing when the dyer was too hot and shrunk him, and finally the mangle, giving us a life size cardboard cutout. Brilliant! Another set piece which was utterly hilarious was the “Twelve Days of Christmas” with the takeaway items, which the audience all joined in with. The raucous fun on stage reaching for the items between, over and underneath each other to keep up with the music as we all sang along was absolutely brilliant. The more frantic it was on stage, the funnier it became. 

Costumes also deserve a special mention as they were absolutely amazing, for every single person, so too the make up: Indigo Jackson’s face makeup as the Genie was superb, as were their nails and flamboyant cape and platform shoes. Indigo’s voice was a joy to hear and it’s a shame the script hadn’t had more of the Genie as their stage presence was lovely. Every costume was appropriate to the character in spectacle and colour and style, even down to the Dame’s glittery purple boots: wonderful attention to detail. Lucie Cater was the stunning glittery Spirit of the Ring with lovely voice and a warm confident presence as the ‘Goodie’. 

It’s so clear that Director Laura Catchpole and team have spent a huge amount of time and effort to add in so many extra details to this fabulous show, and the love and care shows in every aspect. Princess Jasmine with the most stunning voice singing ‘Waving Through a Window’ with the dancers around her creating a window with four corners was so modern and inventive: really well done. The lamp prop above the stage with the tiny square covered with gold fringes suddenly came into its own as the whole audience guffawed with laughter watching tiny puppet Aladdin on his tiny magic carpet ‘fly’ from the back of the room straight up and through the little fringed square. And if that wasn’t enough, we then witnessed the impossible: Malachi Jones as Aladdin, on a flying carpet, on the stage, sitting cross legged singing a solo with a gorgeous voice and not faltering at all as the flying carpet bobbed and weaved and flew up and up. Absolutely jaw dropping. 

They have clearly worked on this script to bring so many up to date things into play including modern songs as well as standard panto classics. It’s worth remembering that the jokes can also be worked on, there was at least one sexist joke which earned a disapproving ‘ooh’ from the audience. Additions including the choreography in ‘Bye Bye Bye’ being an homage to boy band dancing was super: the dancing was great throughout, but the change here was super fun. The constantly changing sets and furniture with no lull in action, such smooth transitions, were truly wonderful: the entrance to the cave with sliding door, inside the cave with cave entrance suddenly at the back – the audience following completely; and the pyramid opening out its doors to see Abanazar and Princess Jasmine inside it: incredible job. The computer refusal to open the cave door with automated voice saying incorrect password, followed by must contain a number, then followed by must contain a special character: all of these details add together to rival the Devonshire Park professional panto in standard and quality. Hugest congratulations to every single person involved in this stunning production. 

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