Aladdin

It is remarkable to note that a year has passed since I last had the pleasure of joining Pleasure Folk for their annual pantomime, to celebrate Christmas through one of Britain’s most cherished theatrical traditions. This year, we enjoyed a pantomime adaptation of the classic tale of Aladdin and uponreflection, I realized it has been quite some time since I last attended an Aladdin pantomime performance. The original "Aladdin" tale was a later addition to “The Arabian Nights” (or “One Thousand and One Nights”), a collection of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and North African folktales in Arabic. These stories, dating from the 8th to 14th centuries, were said to have been told by Scheherazade to her husband King Shahryar to prevent her execution. Each night, she would leave the tale unfinished so the king would spare her to hear the rest. Aladdin’s story was introduced to Europe through Antoine Gallandwhen it was added to his 1704 French translation of The Arabian Nights, based on tales shared by Syrian storyteller Hanna Diab. In the story, Aladdin, a Chinese boy, is tricked by a North African sorcerer into retrieving a magic lamp but ends up keeping it, using its genie to gain wealth, marry a princess, and in the end he outsmarts the sorcerer.

Directed by Gemma Briscoe, whose innovative approach was evident throughout the performance. Gemma assembled a skilled cast that effectively developed their characters and played their roles with expertise. Charlie Geldart demonstrated his aptitude and skill by assuming the role of Aladdin four weeks before opening night, delivering an energetic and assured performance andCharlotte Proctor portrayed Princess Jasmine with poise. Scott Allen (Wishee-Washee) and Jim Briscoe (Dame Widow Twankey) contributed to the pantomime's established traditions, by skillfully engaging the audience through their very comedic, reactive, and well-coordinated performances. Alex Sheeran excelled as Abanazar, establishing a strong connection with the audience, who responded enthusiastically with lots of boos on each of his entrances on stage. Zara Newton showed notable stage presence and commendable comic timing in her role of Spirit of the Ring. Jamie Mather delivered an entertaining and confident portrayal as Genie of the Lamp, with clear dialogue delivery. Mark Charnock as The Emperor depicted the emperor's occasional bewilderment comedically, while Katie Swift provided good support as So Shy and we should mention Millie Pendleton who was endearing as Peter Panda.

The lively chorus and dancers performed both movement and dance withefficiency precision and enjoyment, skillfully interpreting the entertaining very suitable choreography devised by Liz and Eden Wainwright. Their singing was strong with some good harmonies. We had two exceptionally talented chorussoloists, Ciara McEntee and Emma Heaton who delivered impressive vocals at a professional level, this was an incredibly good overall performance from the chorus, well done Vocal Coach Ciara McEntee.

Musical director Marly Ellis-Brennan played keyboard 1 and led a skilled band of musicians, featuring Benjamin Lawson on guitar, Ingrid Codreanu on bass guitar, Jess Smith on drums, these talented young musicians were joined by the wonderful, experienced Nancy Wells on keyboard 2. The band offered strong support to the cast on stage and delivered an impressive, performance which would have been very enjoyable on its own.

The technical support throughout the production was excellent; the sound and lighting designs and equipment ​were operated with expertise enhancing the mood and the atmosphere of the production. The stage crew worked efficiently, allowing for smooth and rapid scene changes that kept the show moving at a good pace. Costumes were vibrant and perfectly suited to the performance, and the dedication of the costume team significantly enhanced both the cast's presentation and the overall atmosphere, adding to the overall enjoyment of the pantomime.

Congratulations to everyone involved in bringing this delightful production to the stage, we thoroughly enjoyed the warm and welcoming atmosphere as wellas being entertained by the show.

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