The thrill and expectation of any pantomime at Christmas is delightful; the anticipation of what is about to be revealed on the stage is tangible. The eager voices of children looking forward to the thrill of it all is contagious. For the most part, all of these hopes were realised in this new staging of the classic story of Aladdin.
Aladdin is flamboyant and jam-packed full of songs and dancing. The vibrant set and colourful costumes, all magically transported us from cave to laundry, from Peking to Eqypt.
Aladdin (Pearce Barron) sets himself the challenge of trying to espy the beautiful princess Jasmine (Mischa Eckersley). The slapstick comedy of Bobby Davro and Dawson Chance delight the audience who enjoyed the saucy jokes in our performance. But unfortunately, some of the jokes were totally missed by the audience as they were too subtle or inane. Others were too much of a previous era and would have only appealed to the older members of the audience.
The athleticism of Brendan Cole as Spirit of the Ring is impressive as he leaps about the auditorium chasing props that were ‘lost’ from the stage which was amusing to start with though became a little tedious by the fourth throw. The magical flying carpet was impressive as it set off with Aladdin, though it was clearly not big enough to take Jasmine as well. David Phipps-Davis as Widow Twankey more than proves his singing skills in the launderette scene.
This pantomime has a good cast who enliven this magical story. They all work hard to engage with the audience, and the staging and outfits are very impressive. This production has all the ingredients for a good pantomime and one that families should enjoy.
Aladdin is running at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking until Sunday 6th January, 2019.
