Aladdin

I am always well aware that Pantomime is not everyone’s cup of tea. The world has changed much since it was the staple introduction to the performing arts for most performers, and indeed audiences. It is uniquely British in a world where that doesn’t mean the same thing as it did for our parents, but I say this, a trip to the pantomime is still the ultimate surreal night out… and I love it, even if it’s rubbish!

This one wasn’t rubbish, this one was rather good, but a trip to a Watlington Players show is seldom a disappointment. Last year it had been Peter Pan which, although a difficult cross over from classic story to Panto, was executed well, to be followed this year by Aladdin, certainly the most popular title on the 2015 Panto tour of Area 4 North.

The Area 4 Award (if indeed there really was one) for best Front of House Manager would go to Watlington’s Cyril Pike, as it would have done for the last three years at least. His welcome is as warm as a Kung-Po King Prawn, and I actually started to well up as I watched him take an elderly lady by the arm and walk her to her seat at a pace that she was comfortable with. A gentleman, and a visionary as once again the hall had been transformed into a Chinese carnival with lanterns decorations and banners. It transpired these had come from a local food purveyor, not to takeaway anything from Cyril!

The set (Hugh Pearce and his extensive gang) was top notch as usual with spectacular costumes (Judy Parsons and Eileen Cook) and make up (Jenny Lewis) with the multi-talented Barry Ayres providing excellent sound and light to compliment all that occurred on stage.

The chorus was an impressively large affair with the Beeton girls (Lucy and Katy .. or is it Katy and Lucy I never can tell) and the wonderful Jane Pearce leading the way. Everyone was on top form and confident with lines, song words and the dance steps provided by Choreographer, Tracy Cumming. Of the supporting cast, I enjoyed Kazuki James as “The Voice” and Becca Field as The Sandmonster, with Stirling work from Ethan Robinson and Leslie Judd as the two unsuccessful Princes. Mr Judd particularly, cropping up a few times throughout this production with the best wig and costume. Not sure how he managed that!!

In the more prominent parts, Matt Kerslake and Tiggie Ellison got plenty of laughs as policemen Ko-La and Pep-si with a nice characterisation from Ellie Fradley as Wishee Washee’s love interest So-Shi … Yes folks, the puns just kept on coming! Enchanting Amy Sims (nee Kent, and always a star) made a lovely job of the Slave of the Ring with Bertie Ellison, effortlessly cool as the Genie of the Lamp, leaving me still a little unsure if the American accent was real or not! I loved Steve Brooks as the evil Abanazer, delivering another confident performance that oozed menace tempered with just the right amount of comedy and David Brammer was outrageous as dame Widow Twankey. Mr Brammer never looked like he knew what he was going to say next, but always managed to say something funny. One of the best things about this show was the often overlooked Mike Cooke as the Emperor who seemed to have found his ideal part and gave the performance of a lifetime (at least of those I have seen) that lifted the whole production. I was a little unsure of Ben Robinson at the start, as comic lead Wishee Washee the script gave him little to work with and he didn’t really connect with me until the second half where he seemed to relax into the part.

In a production that was a real ensemble effort I dedicate the penultimate paragraph to Amy Power as Aladdin, and Georgia Smith as Jasmine who managed to sell me the love story even if I remained a little unconvinced by some of the other …. stuff. Miss Power has a wonderful singing voice and delivered all her songs to a very high standard with Miss Smith backing her up nicely. Both handled the characterisations perfectly, and managed a few laughs along the way.

Congratulations to Director Debbie Hiles for a nice piece of work and to Kate Mould for excellent musical accompaniment. The script needed more gags but an enthusiastic cast got everything out of it that was available and I had a great time. I tend not to get pulled on stage very often, but Lucy Beeton (or was it Katy) decided it was my turn and I did my best not to let her down returning to my seat with a sherbet lolly for my trouble that I promptly ate, and an offer of help down the stairs …. Thanks a lot Lucy/Katie  !  and thanks Watlington, it’s always a treat to visit.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.