ALADDIN till 12 January 2008
Coventry.
ALADDIN: Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton.
Belgrade Theatre.
Tickets: 024 7655 3055, www.belgrade.co.uk.
Runs: One interval, till 12 January.
Review: Rod Dungate, 1 December 2007.
Traditional fare, energetic and fun for all.
ALADDIN twinkles and sparkles its way onto the Belgrade stage with great gusto in this version by Iain Lauchlan. It’s all good traditional entertainment and has the children delightedly laughing and repeating their favourite lines – what more could you want?
There’s a lot of glitter and a load of sequins about. A delightful magic carpet ride to Egypt and I was personally tickled to see the inclusion of the ‘mummy’ routine – aka the ‘ghost’ routine.
Iain Lauchlan (writer and director) plays Widow Twankey with energy, style and perfect bad taste. He’s partnered by a quite wonderful Wishee Washee in Mark Powlett. Powlett has great charm and a terrific rapport with the audience; he and Lauchlan are already a great double act – and an act that will grow as the production continues, I suspect.
And Hockley (relieved this year of his Dame-Duty) delivers a high-octane Abanazar. He’s dark and menacing, starts the show off with great vigour and delivers one of the best numbers – reminding me, somewhat, of Alice Cooper. (That probably gives my age away, if not his.)
Helen Austin looks great as Aladdin, she draws the young audience into the story and moves it along with energy.
Great dancing too both from the Ensemble and from the children.
Widow Twankey: Iain Lauchlan.
Abanazar: Andy Hockley.
Aladdin: Helen Austin.
Wishee Washee: Mark Powlett.
Princess Baldroubadour: Anna Mitcham.
Genie of the Lamp: Divine Harrison.
Spirit of the Ring / Co-Shi: Morna Macpherson.
Emperor / Mandarin: Michael Royce.
Ensemble: Liam Walsh, Chloe Cahill, Suzanne Hall, James Houlbrooke, Elizabeth Jelley, Aimee Reeves.
Children: Charlotte Howes, Shannon Lynch, Lois Killeen, Chloe Baker, Ciara Simmons, James McArthur, Sharday Monaghan-Clarke, Luke Edwards, Lauren Taylor, Abbey Brain, Grace Bend, Lauren Jones, Mollie Cahill, Charley Lucas, Adele Crisp.
Writers: Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton.
Director: Iain Lauchlan.
Assistant Director and Choreographer: Alli Coyne.
Set and Costumes Designer: Sarah Burton.
Musical Director: Steve Etherington.
Lighting Designer: David Muir.
Sound Designer: Martyn Davies.
2007-12-02 15:50:36