Aladdin | Nottingham Playhouse
If you are looking for a panto that involves a lot of the festive traditions a pantomime should have; great music and a simple to follow storyline then Aladdin at the Nottingham Playhouse is definitely the one for you. What I loved most about this storyline was that it was perfect for the younger audience or people who hadn't experienced a pantomime before. It was very straight forward and fun for all the family to enjoy, without making it too full of gimmicks that people won't understand.
Their sets were pretty basic compared to a lot of the pantomimes I have already seen this pantomime season but it didn't stop it from including some great features that made it stand up against those other pantomimes that are showing at other theatres across the UK too. The definite moments of creativity and imagination included the flying carpet which glided across the performance space with ease.
Widow Twankey John Elkington showed that he was back to undertake the role of Dame again to showcase why it's a yearly slot in his working calendar. He had a natural ability to capture the fun and engaging character that a Dame must be whilst also being able to step away from the script at times without losing professionalism.
There was a really good use of popular music within the Aladdin pantomime context, including songs from the much loved Disney classic. It was hard not to find yourself singing and clapping with the rest of the audience and with references to XFactor's Honey G and Frozen's Let It Go, you can't help but integrate yourself within the fun.
The entire cast were very professional and undertook their parts well, the Sand Dance was a definite joy to watch. Rebecca Little's performance as the Slave of the Ring/ WPC Pong was particularly good, especially when she came out as the Slave of the Ring and we were able to hear what incredible vocals she had.
Our villain of the pantomime, Abanazar played by Kevin McGowan handled all the boos and hisses from the audiences with flare and was a really convincing villain that is so important within the Aladdin storyline!
Definitely make sure you head down to the Nottingham Playhouse this Christmas and immerse yourself in the world of Aladdin!
Photos : Robert Day
Running until 21 January 2017