ALADDIN AND THE ENCHANTED LAMP Bristol Old Vic

Philip Pullman’s
ALADDIN AND THE ENCHANTED LAMP
Bristol Old Vic
Running Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Review by Stewart McGill, 13th December 2005

Sadly disappointing, with not a lot going on
Going to the Bristol Old Vic is always a different experience, a sense of vitality and immediacy pervades the eighteenth century complex and Simon Reade’s policy of blending classics with family theatre creates a richly rewarding policy.

Having said this, expectations are high, controversy expected and challenges welcome. The Christmas show, based on Philip Pullman’s short picture book adaptation of Aladdin and The Enchanted Lamp strikes me as a major disappointment.

The director Aletta Collins is no stranger to Pullman having worked as Nicholas Hytner’s associate on His Dark Materials and Reade himself is principal adaptor. This show emerges as a rather shabby looking work, short on magic, humour, thrills, excitement and wonder.

Simon Daw designs, I guess looking a little like the book, but his over fussy revolve, overused front cloth and wobbly structure becomes tiresome by the interval. An under-populated stage conveys little sense of place or time – maybe a backyard in Mosul at best.

I fully understand the desire to tell a story rather than go down the pantomime route yet here the ideas do not add up to a satisfactory whole. Robert Gwilym’s Sorcerer leads the company but acting styles do not gel and the work fails to find a style or real appeal.

Last year Melly Still created an Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland that rediscovered the work, this year the company frail to match this with substandard acting not of the Bristol Old Vic standard nor is the making of the set, costumes or props.

Expectations are high and this company has re-invented itself so well as to demand the serious attention it gets on the theatre scene. Already announced is next year’s Christmas show, The Three Musketeers and a forthcoming season of rare delights. This Christmas show may improve as the company get used to the unhelpful design but I doubt any real magic will emit from the lamp for quite a while.

Cast: Aladdin: Dany Worters, Sorcerer: Robert Gwilym, Shaheed the Nervous Poet: Ferdy Roberts, Aladdin’s Mother: Mia Soteriou, Farah/Fatime: Debbie Chazen, Princess: Nicole Charles, Honest Goldsmith/Sultan: Bhasker Patel, Dishonest Goldsmith/Grand Vizier: Matthew Sim, Eunuch Of The Doorway/Coppersmith: Lloyd Notice, Mandana: Natalie Best, Habib: Ian Bonar. Other parts played by members of the company.

Creative Team: Director: Aletta Collins, Designer: Simon Daw, Lighting Designer: Colin Grenfell, Composer: Stu Barker, Sound Designer: Jason Barnes.

2005-12-15 16:01:42