Aladdin Junior

Young Expressions performed this great show on the hottest afternoon of the year and I must start off by appreciating the energy and enthusiasm shown not only by the cast but by the entire company. By that I mean the creative team and chaperones and all the tech team who were all operating in temperatures of over 30 degrees.

The show itself started with atmospheric Arabian music to set the scene and, when the curtains opened, we were treated to a full-blown Arabian market. The set was simple but very colourful and completely transported a packed (and very hot) audience to an Eastern bazaar. The props and costumes were just wonderful and the whole set glowed with colour.  Immediately, Denyse Donnell’s lively choreography was apparent and the children had learnt the moves and dance combinations so well. The dances all through the show were so much fun to watch and not one person put a step wrong. It is always great to see all areas of the stage and auditorium filled with action.  Well done chorus and Denyse. I loved One Jump Ahead and A friend like me and the flying Carpet scene was created so cleverly. I really enjoyed the slow-motion fight scene in High Adventure as well.

There were a lot of individual parts in this show and a huge number of high spots it’s going to be difficult to list them all by name, but I’ll certainly give it a go!

Aladdin, played by Alex Davey, came into his own singing Proud of your boy in such a confident voice and with great feeling. I felt you warmed into your role and played it so well especially your transformation into a Prince. . Isabella Devito, as Jasmine, possessed a strong voice and had just the right amount of sassiness for the role. Jafar, played by Victoria McCallum, was terrific. We all boo-ed her and she was a deliciously evil villain with great confidence and very witty in her delivery. I really liked Tom Stubley’s Iago, especially as he was dragged off to jail refusing to acknowledge Jafar (‘he’s just a work colleague’.). So many of the cast had great one-liners which were delivered clearly and with great timing. It looked as if you were all having the time of your lives.

Aladdin’s friends Babkak, Omar and Kassim played by Amber Innes, Lottie Capp and Aurelia Stevenson were lively, funny and played their roles beautifully. Jasmine’s attendants Isir, Manal, and Rajah played by Tara George, Alice Finlay and Rose Tattersall, sang so beautifully in harmony in These Palace Walls. Well done girls.

Jake Barham as the sultan played the role with rather nice restraint and his chief of the army, Razoul, played by Sydnee Donnell was so confident and energetic.

Now to talk about the Genie, Daniel Rust. My word, you gave that role everything and more! Your stage presence was fantastic and my guest said to me that they couldn’t take their eyes of you when you were on the stage. You had the perfect rapport with the audience and your asides were so funny. How you kept that amount of blue makeup on throughout such a hot and energetic show is a total mystery to me. Huge congratulations, Daniel, that was a truly confident and terrific performance.

To the Director, Emma Jane Sweeney, I send my congratulations on a very well organised and well produced show. I know how much work goes into directing a show like this and you must be so proud of the result.

Congratulations also to the MD, Ian Southgate who blended backing tracks with the use of a keyboard to give support to the great chorus work that you achieved with this group and there were a lot of big songs in this show.

My congratulations as well go to Ben Heywood and his team for the imaginative lighting and sound design, both executed perfectly and the back stage crew, overseen by Kate Capp, who maintained the pace and flow of the show seamlessly.

This was such a lively, colourful joyous show that richly deserved the standing ovation at the end.

Thank you so much for inviting me and I look forward to your panto later in the year.

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