ALADDIN: Hippodrome Birmingham, till 9 February

ALADDIN: Paul Elliott
Hippodrome: 0870 730 1234
Runs: 2h 30m, till 9 February

Review: Rod Dungate, 21 December

Huge, thrilling: a script that whizzes along and warm performances create a party atmosphere: Davro is a great bonus.
This is your big extravaganza panto: and thrilling it is big sets, oodles of marvellous costumes, lighting effects and lasers. Amongst all this glitz and glamour a tight script with good and bad jokes in equal proportions that whizzes along. And, most important, terrific performances they never play second fiddle, are all at a human scale and, even within the large Hippodrome space, make direct contact with the youngsters in the audience. Young voices boo, hiss, cheer on cue creating a perfect party atmosphere.

Bobby Davro plays Aladdin. When Aladdin is played by a man and not as a Principal Boy it seems to me this particular story is brought back into its right focus and is all the sturdier for it. This production has a great bonus in Bobby Davro. He drives the show with astounding energy that never lets up and he's full of surprises impressions and a whole range of accomplished singing styles. All is carried out with a warm humour that endears him to us. Possibly the biggest surprise, though, is an hilariously surreal spot with a kangaroo I say no more!

Don MacLean makes a great Widow Twankey: playing more for comedy than grotesque he creates a charmingly eccentric Dame, and, as with Davro, his relationship with the audience is of greatest importance.

John Challis (Abanazar) orchestrates all boos and hisses with great delight and Amanda Barrie is a wonderfully laid-back, off the cuff, Genie of the Ring. The Genie of the Lamp has to take second place to replacement Spider-Man who makes a spectacular first appearance. It's a delight to see (and hear) Masashi Fujimoto's Emperor: Fujimoto is a slight figure but one-hell of a weighty presence.

Genie of the Ring: Amanda Barrie
Aladdin: Bobby Davro
Princess: Melinda Messenger
Widow Twankey: Don MacLean
Abanazar: John Challis
Spider-Man: Himself
Emperor: Masashi Fujimoto
Chinese Police Force: David Grant, Jonathan Foo, Don Klass
Vizier: Ian Sandy
Chief of Police: James Gillmore

with Birmingham Stage School students

Dancers: Zoe Harries, Dario Mazzoli, Richard Jones, Emma de Vees, Clare Walters, Ivan de Freitas, Laura Bouttell, Nicki Cox, Kevin Foster, Silje Rise

Director: Nigel West
Design: Hugh Durrant
Writer/ Creative Consultant: Paul Elliott
Musical Director: Robert Willis
Choreographer: Dollie Henry
Fight Arranger: Karl Magee
Lighting Designer: Graham McLusky
Associate Designer: Tim McQuillan Wright

2002-12-23 08:47:17