Aladdin

Shavington Village Festival Committee presented their annual pantomime, which this year was ‘Aladdin’, directed by Rene Hancock. It is wonderful to see how many people are involved in bringing pantomime to Shavington – it really does take a village! From the set, which featured some lovely backdrops, to the props, which were appropriate throughout. Everything had been thought about under Rene’s watchful eye. There were moments where the pace could have been cranked up a bit, particularly in the transitions, but there were some lovely moments in this pantomime. There were a few opening night hiccups with some set pieces being left on during the next scene, but this not deter from the excitement radiating from the audience.

The musical director was Kevin Birch. Kevin led the small band well during the musical numbers, and there was a nice range of songs on offer. There were some nice vocals on display during the performance. It would have been nice if the band had played during scene changes and transitions to keep the energy of the production up.

The choreographer for this pantomime was Angela Snell. The choreography was accessible for all performers, which they performed well. There were some moments where dancers performed a routine, which allowed some more complex routines, which again were performed well.

Technical elements were well integrated into the production. The sound was good throughout, with a nice balance between the band and cast. The lighting design was equally as good, and contributed to the overall look of the pantomime. The traditional UV scene was very well done, with Aladdin’s flight on the magic carpet looking magical.

The costumes instantly transported the audience to Peking. They were bright, colourful, and looked great on stage.

After winning Best Villain at the recent District 8 Awards, Megan Goode proved her versatility by taking on the principal boy role as Aladdin. Megan initially created an innocent character, and it was nice to see the character develop. Megan’s vocals were strong and she led her numbers very well.

Holly Yuill played Princess Jasmine. Holly showed confidence beyond her years in this principal role. She worked well alongside Megan, and developed a nice character.

Eddie Bell donned the frock once again this year as Widow Twankey. Eddie is a warm dame, and worked well with the rest of the cast, especially Megan and Rachel. The audience interactions were solid, and Eddie performed his numbers well.

Rachel Hadzik-Chesters was full of energy as Wishee Washee and continually worked the audience, and building a great rapport with them. The slapstick scene in the laundry was well performed by Rachel, adding greatly to the comedy.

Jonathan Brett was suitably villainous as Abanazar. There was a great command on stage, instantly drawing the audience’s attention. ‘I Want it All’ was well performed by Jonathan, and he had a great evil laugh to boot.

Callum Faddes and Lesley Smith worked well together as the Emperor and Empress of China. Callum did well as the hen-pecked husband, and Lesley was able to display the Empress’s temper well.

Bobbie Blackman was wonderfully ethereal as the Spirit of the Ring, with Lisa Smith providing a comic Genie of the Lamp.

Lilian Henry (PC Ding Dong) was ably supported by two younger members of the cast – Bobby Finch (PC Ping) and Sylvester Seabrook (PC Pong). They worked well as a group. Bobby and Sylvester provided some wonderful physicality to the roles.

Julie Mann and Rachel Rodgers worked well together to bring the Camel to life!

The ensemble worked hard throughout the pantomime, and the children’s chorus should be particularly congratulated. You all appeared confident and well drilled in your songs and routines.

Overall, this was an enjoyable production. There were some strong principal performances, some nice staging elements, and it’s great to see a production showcasing performers of all ages.

A big thank you to everyone at Shavington Village Festival Committee for their kind invite and hospitality.

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