Aladdin

Early March seemed a little late for a pantomime, but The Reading Room at Ovingham was full for this performance from Ovingham Drama Group.  As far as I could see there was only one youngster in the audience which was otherwise made up of a mature cross-section of the local population, ready and willing to join in with all the classic pantomime responses!  Most of the cast members were also a little on the mature side, but it mattered little.  They hit the stage with enthusiasm and never acknowledged the irony of referring to their (primarily) grey haired audience as “boys and girls”!

This was an Alan Frayn panto, set in “Old Peking”, where Aladdin has vain dreams of marrying Princess Mandarin in preference to helping his mother, Widow Twanky, in their laundry/takeaway. Yes, you can deliver your smalls and collect your dinner in the same shop!  Peter Pescod brilliantly inhabited Widow Twanky.  He managed to make me a little less unsure of pantomime dames.  I usually find them totally resistible.  Peter filled the stage whenever he was on, and drew the audience into the action with little apparent effort.  I really enjoyed his performance.

Malcolm Lowerson, as the much-hissed villain, Ababazar, elicited just the right amount of venom from the audience, who were more than a little satisfied when he suffered his comeuppance.  As with almost all panto, the musical numbers had scant connection to the plot, other than their titles.  That mattered not at all.  Most were from the 1960s/1970s.  The “grey hairs” in the audience knew all the words – and weren’t frightened to sing along, to the possible consternation of the cast!  One criticism, perhaps, was that no sweets were thrown to/at the audience; no need to worry about health and safety on this occasion!

The pianist found himself acting as prompt on occasion, as indeed did director/choreographer Jim Wardle, from the back of the hall, where he was also working the lights.  Be that as it may, the important thing is that Aladdin and the Princess did get together at the end and everyone, onstage and off, had a thoroughly enjoyable evening and left the hall in fine spirits.  Director Jim Wardle must be congratulated for getting the full company of 21 onto the small stage; a stage which the company have to erect in The Reading Room for their performances.

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