4 STARS
There is nothing more Christmassy than a good old-fashioned pantomime, and the Nottingham Playhouse’s production of Aladdin has everything you could possibly want from a fun-filled evening at the theatre. Cheesy, over-the-top, and downright childish, this is the perfect show to get into the Christmas spirit with!
Telling the well-known story of Aladdin, we follow Aladdin (Danielle Corlass) battle against Abanazar (Kevin McGowan) to win the hand of the beautiful Princess Jasmine (Jasmine White). Featuring such panto favourites as Widow Twankey, Wishee Washee, and the Genie, this is a production filled with everything you’d expect from a night at the pantomime!
The production value of this show is fantastic – from the costumes to the lighting design, the Playhouse’s team has put on a pantomime that is spectacular to look at. The choreography is excellent, with the ensemble performing wonderful dance numbers that infuse the show with an infectious energy. It is the sets that really steal it – with brilliant attention to detail and their smooth changes, the team that designed it should be praised for such a fantastic looking production.The Cave of Wonders in particular was awe-inspiring to look at. With 90 costumes, 19.5 kg of glitter and one costume alone having over 46,000 sequins, it is just as over-the-top and wonderful as you’d expect.
The acting is absolutely spot-on, with every single performer delivering in their hammy and over-the-top roles. My particular favourite was Kevin McGowan as Abanazar, who played his part with such fiendish glee that it was easy to love to hate him. John Elkington’s Widow Twankey was also a delight, as the wonderful costumes and the sheer fun of his performance complimented each other perfectly in a role which stole the show. Corlass’ Aladdin and White’s Jasmine were energetic and had great chemistry together, but the script did not give them quite as many fun moments as everyone else.
Whilst I would say that some of the musical numbers were slightly too cheesy even for my taste (the whole company singing Can’t Stop the Feeling nearly finished me off) and not all of the jokes land, I left this performance feeling happy and full of Christmas cheer. Although it’s definitely aimed at kids, so you more cynical Scrooges may want to give it a miss, if you want an old-fashioned, fun, light-hearted pantomime that captures the magic of going to the panto when you were a kid, this is the evening for you!
Edited by: Jess Greaney
Image source:
Images sent courtesy of Nottingham Playhouse
Web source: http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/whats-on/family/aladdin/