ALADDIN: Palace Theatre Newark till 7 January
Newark
ALADDIN
by David Vickers and Richard Chandler
Performance times: 10am, 1.30pm, 1.45pm, 2.30pm, 5.30pm and 7.00pm various days. No performance 20th Dec, 25th Dec, 31st Dec and 1st Jan
Runs 2hr 20min One interval
TICKETS: 01636 655755
www.palacenewark.com
Review: Alan Geary: 15 December 2006
Laughs, glamour, spectacle and sing-along - there’s plenty for everyone in this sumptuous pantomime.
A few of the jokes - all right, most of them - in this sumptuous panto seem faintly familiar, as if they’ve travelled up and down the Newark-Mansfield road, but they’re always funny. It’s pathetic but funny when a hand appears from the wings clutching a bag of goodies for the children: “A stagehand!” quips Wishee Washee.
Wishee [Martin Daniels] could use more quick-fire one-liners at the start but he’s very funny later. “It may not look much to you,” he says, during a deliberately faltering conjuring routine, “But to me it’s a career.”
Most of Wishee’s verbal gags are aimed at the children, and those of Widow Twankey (Richard Chandler) that aren’t go neatly over their heads. He/she lends the evening a touch of the music hall with some of his/her songs, nevertheless there’s less of an Edwardian feel to this panto than some recent Palace offerings.
Twankey’s outfits get progressively more outrageous as the evening goes on. In fact, all the costumes are splendid, particularly the Chinese-looking ones in primary colours. They and the music lend a genuine oriental feel to the show, even given Wishee’s non-PC impersonation of an OTT stage Chinaman.
First on stage is a bearded Abanazar (Terry Ashe) - interesting how the panto baddie is so often the best actor in the show - who looks and sounds thoroughly evil. One would like to have heard more of the rich operatic baritone of Alex Poulton, as the Emperor.
From a blonde Fairy of the Ring (Joanne Shields), by way of sweet and pretty So Shy (Kirsty Fairbrother), to a leggy and assertive Aladdin (Rachael Holoway), all bold good looks and accent more Walthamstow than Peking, there’s plenty for the blokes to appreciate.
There’s much else besides, particularly a ducks’ tap-dance, the highlight of the delightfully irrelevant Mosaic Puppets interlude.
No-one hogs this show - it’s a genuine team effort. And it’s touching and reassuring that in the twenty-first century ordinary middle-Englanders can still enjoy a good family sing-along to I am the Music Man.
Cast
Abanazar: Terry Ashe
Sheherazade: Joanne Shields
Ping: Tom O’Connell
Pong: Ryan Crane
Grand Vizier: Robert Pearce
Emperor: Alex Poulton
Aladdin: Rachael Holoway
Wishee Washee: Martin Daniels
Widow Twankey: Richard Chandler
Princess Balroubadour: Louise Franck
So Shy: Kirsty Fairbrother
Genie of the Lamp: Tom Gilling
Townsfolk/Laundresses/Jewels: Nickie Sheridan Dancers & Juveniles
Directors: David Vickers/Richard Chandler
Design: Extravaganza Productions
Musical Director: Benjamin J Howell
Musical Supervisor: Steve Allen
Choreographer: Tina Chandley
Costumes: Extravaganza Productions
2006-12-17 17:33:29