Aladdin is likely one of the finest Pantomime titles, it is filled with nice alternatives for magical and comical enterprise such because the Laundry scene, the makes an attempt of The Emperor to cease his daughter being seen by Aladdin, the assembly of Widow Twankey and her long-lost brother-in-law Abanazar, the cave transformation and genie’s look, the magic carpet trip and naturally Abanazar’ s remaining defeat. It has nevertheless turn out to be caught up within the debate about inclusivity and variety in casting as it’s primarily based in China and since some previous productions have included some racial stereotypes. The UK Production’s newest model with a script by Jon Monie which performed on the Theatre Royal Bath till eighth January does its finest to steer by means of this minefield with a various solid and set in Humdrum Heights whereas sticking with the standard storyline and names.
Tom Lister as Abanazar drives the present with a delightfully sturdy energetic efficiency, revelling in his evil persona and the viewers’s response to him and geeing them as much as react extra. He interacted brilliantly with the stage proper field having caught a younger viewers member out as soon as and performed on it fantastically thereafter. Indeed, his sortie into the viewers armed with a water pistol was so distracting that the viewers fully ignored the track being sung on stage! The character takes cost proper from the beginning with an excellent prologue setting out the story in a three-way rhyming couplet opening with the spirit of the ring (Amy Perry) and the Genie (Maddison Tyson) after which a well-judged comical romantic first assembly with Widow Twankey (Nick Wilton) in “You are the one that I want”.
Jon Monie performs Wishee Washee, in addition to writing the script, and makes use of the plot alternatives to create some new-looking comedian enterprise. The finest scene has him dressed as a tree to behave as a go-between Jasmine (a stage debut for Kaysha Nada) and Aladdin (Alex Aram) and getting the messages flawed. There are additionally loads of topical references that give the dialogue a recent really feel together with prepare strikes, the Harry and Meghan documentary, Harry Kane’s penalty miss, Phil and Holly’s queue leaping and the William and Harry fallout. It is a curious combination of foolish jokes, witty rewriting of lyrics as in “My way” changing into “I did it miming” and a few relatively too crude grownup innuendo. Indeed, the enjoying of the piano with out utilizing their arms was in my thoughts probably the most Inappropriate routines for a household pantomime of the yr and felt very awkward as a part of a faculty’s efficiency. The musical selections with new lyrics had been nevertheless excellent with a superb remodeling of the Monkee’s hit “HeyHey we are the Twankies”, a intelligent revision of Kate Bush’s “Running up the hill”, a enjoyable replace of the Chas and Dave hit as “Rub-it , Rub-it” and a nicely delivered “Bad to the bone”. Director Hannah Sharkey additionally consists of some good enterprise with failed magic methods together with the field escape and three-card trick because the track sheet. There can also be a really efficient magic carpet trip utilizing handsome projections on the gauze in entrance of the flying carpet impact and a well-executed conventional ghost bench scene with the Pillsbury Doughboy.
This is a manufacturing that has all the suitable components, nice musical selections, some good comedian enterprise and a easy however handsome cave transformation and magic carpet trip with an skilled solid. Maybe it was the lateness within the run of my go to, however the tempo and vitality ranges appeared inconsistent over the two- and a half-hour operating time and the grownup innuendo felt uncomfortable however Tom Lister’s stage presence and joyous embodiment of Abanazar ensured an fulfilling present. Review by Nick Wayne
Rating: ★★★
Seat: Stalls, Row N | Price of Ticket: £41