ALADDIN, Belgrade Coventry till 18 January
Coventry
ALADDIN: Bob Eaton, Sayan Kent
Belgrade: Tkts 024 7655 3055
Runs: 2h 50m, one interval, till 18 January
Review: Rod Dungate, 12 December 2002
Happy-go-lucky – cast and audience together ensure the show goes with a seasonal swing.It's a happy-go-lucky, high-velocity, switch-back of a journey through this traditional tale with some delightful in-yer-face modern touches.
Regional theatres that tread the paths of traditional pantomime tales often stamp productions with their individual mark. And none could be more individual than the Belgrade. It's like a rumbustious party, a real coming together of performers and audience out to have a good time. In the Belgrade youngsters boo, hiss, cheer and clap completely in partnership with the show.
The tone of bonhomie (or I suppose, in this case, badhomie) is set straight away by Fine Time Fontayne as Abanazar – 'I hate kids. I hate little fat wobbling mums. I hate scrawny dribbling dads.' (He has a go at grans later.) He thrusts and sneers his way through the play ensuring that nothing goes smoothly.
But the party really belongs to Widow 'Swanky' Twankey and her poor son Wishee 'Dishy' Washee (Andy Hockley aided and abetted by Jonathan Bex). Hockley really gets into the swing of this dame thing – attacking the play with the same gusto with which the good (but misunderstood) Widow might attack some particularly nasty underwear from the palace. Bex with his most expressive face and a particularly good line in hang-dog carries all our sympathy. The two are a great comic duo and drive the play with boundless energy: their washing and ironing sequence is a joy with a concluding joke pay-off that has to have one of the longest set-ups I've seen.
Sayan Kent plays the hero Aladdin and builds a marvellously matey relationship with Helen Burton's feisty Princess. And I particularly liked Heather Phoenix's Genie of the Ring. This genie – completely dotty – is like a stray from the Coventry Branch of the Women's Institute and I'm sure we'll see her soon on a regional sub-committee for transport policy.
Aladdin: Sayan Kent
Wishee Washee: Jonathan Bex
Widow Twankey: Andy Hockley
Abanazar: fine Time Fontayne
The Emperor: Michael Royce
The Princess: Helen Burton
Genie of the Ring: Heather Phoenix
Genie of the Lamp/ Executioner: Natasha Springer
Director/ Co-writer: Bob Eaton
Composer/ Co-writer: Sayan Kent
Designer: Sue Condie
Assistant to Designer: Clemence Barres
Musical Director: Nick Lacey
Lighting: David Howe
Sound: Nik Dudley
Choreographer: Beverley Edmunds
Assistant Choreographer: Stephen James
Magical Advisor: James Brandon
2002-12-13 11:05:48