UK Theatre Network

West Yorkshire Playhouse and Talawa Theatre Company Present

 

ALL BLACK ‘WAITING FOR GODOT’ TOURS THE UK

The Albany Theatre – London (6 – 10 March 2012)
Birmingham Old Rep (13 – 17 March 2012)
Theatre Royal – Winchester (27 – 31 March 2012)
New Wolsey Theatre – Ipswich (3 – 7 April 2012)

After a premiere at The West Yorkshire Playhouse (Friday 3 to Thursday 23 February), Samuel Beckett’s masterpiece Waiting For Godot will tour the UK from 6 March. Co produced with Talawa Theatre Company and directed by Artistic Director Ian Brown, the production stars Jeffery Kissoon and Patrick Robinson as Vladimir and Estragon - two men waiting hopelessly, helplessly, haplessly for the elusive Godot. This is the first Waiting For Godot to be produced in the UK with an all-Black British cast and will visit London’s Albany Theatre, Birmingham Old Rep, Theatre Royal in Winchester and the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich.

Vladimir and Estragon are waiting. Two old men whose compulsion to wait for a visit from the indescribable Godot forces them to pass the time in the only way they can; with and for each other. Stories are told, boots are abandoned, religion is debated, memories of better days are shared, jokes are made, suicide is contemplated, the fear of being alone is overwhelming – and time passes. Chance meetings happen, arguments take place, thinking occurs, violence is advocated, hats are exchanged, friendship is venerated – and time passes. On a road with a single tree two old friends wait…and pass the time.

Trinidadian stage actor Jeffery Kissoon (Vladimir) works regularly with the RSC and will play Caesar in its all-black cast production of Julius Caesar this summer. He performed opposite Kim Cattrall in Antony and Cleopatra (Liverpool Everyman), and has previously played Mark Anthony in Talawa’s 1991 all-black cast production. He also worked with Talawa in its 1989 production The Gods are not to Blame. Direct from War Horse in the West End, Patrick Robinson plays Estragon. An actor whose work spans stage and screen, Patrick has previously performed at the Playhouse, playing the lead Thomas Peters in 2007’s Rough Crossings, a powerful drama about 18th century slavery written by historian Simon Schama. His television credits include popular and long-running roles in The BILL and Casualty. Fisayo Akinada, Guy Burgess and Cornell S. John complete the ensemble.

Following on from his critically acclaimed production of King Lear with Tim Pigott-Smith, Ian Brown directs Waiting for Godot, a more intimate but no less challenging play. His recent credits for the Playhouse include As You Like It, Hay Fever for which Maggie Steed won a TMA award, When we are Married with Les Dennis, a new musical version of The Secret Garden, Steve Waters’ Fast Labour and the award-winning How Many Miles to Basra?

A novelist, playwright, poet and theatre director Beckett wrote in both English and French and penned some of the most important works of Twentieth Century literature. The mysterious and universal Waiting for Godot, which was first performed in the UK in 1955 remains one of his most famous and important works. Its true meaning is constantly debated and searched for, yet Beckett was clear in his belief that all you need to know is there in the play.

 
ENDS
For further Information, images and press tickets for the tour please contact James Lever at Target Live
(e): james.lever@target-live.co.uk (t): 020 3372 0956

LISTINGS INFORMATION
West Yorkshire Playhouse and Talawa Theatre Company Present
Waiting For Godot by Samuel Beckett
Director - Ian Brown
Designer - Paul Wills
Lighting Designer  - Chris Davey
Sound Designer  - Ian Trollope
Movement  - Aline David
Cast: Fisayo Akinada; Guy Burgess; Jeffery Kissoon; Cornell S. John; Patrick Robinson
 
Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 March 2012                                    Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 March 2012
The Albany Theatre, London                                                   Theatre Royal, Winchester
020 8692 4446                                                                           01962 840 440
www.thealbany.org.uk                                                             www.theatre-royal-winchester.co.uk
 
Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 March 2012                                    Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 April
Birmingham Old Rep                                                                   New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich
0121 236 4455                                                                              01473 295 900
www.birmingham-rep.co.uk                                                      www.wolseytheatre.co.uk
 
Waiting For Godot premieres at The West Yorkshire Playhouse from Friday 3 – Thursday 23 February www.wyp.org.uk / 0113 213 7700

The Royal Exchange has another popular hit on its hands with Jim Cartwright’s clever two-hander set in a pub.  Like his other gritty slice of life play, Road, we meet a parade of colourful northern working-class characters - here they’re passing through the saloon bar of a traditional public house which is presided over by a flirtatious landlady and her wisecracking husband.  In this play however all the roles are taken by a single pair of actors.

There isn’t a narrative arc other than the waxing and waning of customers as the evening passes.  But once the bar has cleared the undertow of tension between landlord and landlady is painfully exposed in a raw and heartbreaking final scene.

Local comedian Justin Moorhouse is a huge favourite with the crowd.  Big, cuddly and warm, he shambles about like a panda whose fur coat is at the dry-cleaners, and remains loveable whether playing the ebullient host, a lonely old widower, a neddy in a pom-pom hat or a sponging boyfriend with a roving eye.  As a bonus there’s plenty of banter with the audience, perhaps owing more to Justin’s stand-up experience than to the script.  At this point I should warn anyone of a retiring nature not to sit on the banquettes at the front, as they become such an integral part of the show that their occupants should probably get a credit in the programme.

Victoria Elliott is quite simply a brilliant actress with a natural flair for comedy – the biggest laugh of the night came from one of her off-the-cuff put-downs to an unfortunate audience member.  She is truly versatile in her range of playing, slipping easily between a wide variety of roles and acting styles.  The frail old lady with the butcher obsession is both funny and moving, the sub-Sloane Ranger who loves Big Men makes your eyes water, and the petrified woman on a night out with her abusive partner is horrifyingly real.

Designer Amanda Stoodley has created a circular mahogany bar that fits the space like it belongs there, and director Greg Hersov moves the action around (and over) it at a cracking pace.

With Happy Hour from 9pm-10.30 every evening, traditional pub games including darts, pool, table football available to play in the foyer, and free after-show entertainment on Thursdays, this is pub theatre with a twist.

TWO is on until Saturday 25 February 2012
Prices £9-£33
Evenings: Mon-Fri @ 7.30, Sat @ 8pm
Matinees: Wed @ 2.30, Sat @ 4pm
Box Office: 0161 833 9833
www.royalexchange.co.uk

Aladdin

Whitley Bay Playhouse

Reviewing two different productions of the same pantomime in the same season inevitably leads to the drawing of comparisons. With Aladdin at the Customs House in South Shields being such a showstopper, the pressure couldn’t have been greater for the co-production from Whitley Bay Playhouse and Blue Genie Entertainment to deliver the goods.

Having had some considerable experience in marketing, myself, I am somewhat sceptical of subjective claims which are made unattributably. So, when I noticed that the publicity material announces that this production of Aladdin is the ‘North East’s Best Value Panto!’, I mentally threw down the gauntlet and challenged them to convince me of as much.

Certainly, with tickets for parties of schoolchildren priced at only £7 per head, they can claim to be the cheapest (a quick check on the internet confirmed that). But, more importantly, does the production offer high standards all-round? Does it tick every box on the panto check-list? The answer, in this reviewer’s opinion, is an emphatic ‘YES’.

Indeed, this production boasts a cast in which there really isn’t a weak link. Jassa Ahluwalia (from Disney’s Art Attack) plays the title role and his Aladdin is all fresh-faced boyish good looks and cheeky charm. Kirsty Swain (from BBC’s So You Think You Can Dance?) compliments Ahluwalia nicely, as Princess Jasmine, and they particularly shine in the musical numbers.

For the second year in succession, local lad Steve Walls returns to the Playhouse panto in the role of principal comic. Having excelled as Muddles in last year’s production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, this year he takes the role of Wishee Washee and ups his game yet again. It is with total expertise that he establishes a rapport with the children in the audience, who are all thrilled to be part of his ‘gang’, yet his near-the-knuckle gags (which go straight over the kids’ heads) make him a firm favourite with the adults, too. Only a comic of the highest calibre is capable of achieving such a feat.

Paul Harris proves there really is ‘nothing like a dame’ with his perfect portrayal of Widow Twankey. Clearly a bloke in a dress caricaturing a female – which is the precise point of the Dame! – he is also believable enough as a woman to allow the audience to suspend their disbelief and accept him/her as mother of Aladdin and Wishee Washee. Personally, I don’t go in for this new breed of drag queen style dame - give me a proper, good old fashioned dame every time, in terms of sheer comedy and entertainment, and I’m in panto heaven.

Of course, every good panto also needs a good villain and Simon Barnard provides plenty of opportunities to hiss and boo in the role of Abanazar. Jimmy Burton-Iles also puts in an energetic performance as a Genie with plenty of personality, whilst supporting roles are played by Christina Kerridge (Slave of the Ring), Darren Sawdon (PC Ping Pong) and Leigh Steedman (The Emperor), some of whom also double-up as professional dancers.

The production is structured well and adheres faithfully to the story. Simon Barnard and Guy Pascall’s script, as it should be, is peppered with those well-worn jokes that are resurrected from retirement each festive season but never fail to make us laugh – no matter how many times we hear them. There’s also a slosh scene, a ‘take off’ scene (in which the characters are scared off, individually, by a ghost), sight-gags and a real flying carpet. The musical numbers are all re-workings or re-wordings of current or recent pop songs, giving a contemporary feel, and Alison Hefferon’s choreography suits them well. The sets and scenery are well-designed, too, and help bring a touch of the Far East to the North East.

It is difficult to retain the attention of some youngsters for the entire duration of a pantomime, yet this production of Aladdin seemed, for the most part, to do just that. Undoubtedly, this is because it is a fast-paced, gag-filled show which is full of family fun.

In the current economic climate money is scarce and families may only be able to see one pantomime all season, therefore they need to know that their hard-earned money is going to be well spent and the price of the tickets will be worth it. This panto most certainly is!

Steve Burbridge.

Runs until Monday 2^nd January 2012.

 

 

Has Manchester’s fringe theatre scene ever been in finer fettle?  A testament to its vigour is that among the numerous pantomimes, musicals and children’s shows which infest the city’s venues at this time of year there is still an enthusiastic audience for a brand new play, presented in the tiny space at the top of The Lass o’ Gowrie by young company Hazel Tree Productions.

Playwright Chris Dance puts a cynical spin on the season of goodwill by setting his comedy in Britain’s grottiest Santa’s Grotto, where put-upon shop-girl Laura (endearingly played by a starry-eyed Hazel Earle) is contractually obliged to wear the stripy stockings, fluffy red boots and pointy felt hat of one of Santa’s Little Helpers.

Her peaceful lunchtime sandwich among the sacks of presents, stuffed reindeer and fairy lights is interrupted by co-worker Julie (hilariously lairy Emma Laidlaw), who has disguised herself as an elf and fled the lingerie department for a natter with her friend, even though their manager has already tried to separate her from Laura for being a “bad influence”.

Chris Dance explores the girls’ fundamentally different natures with tart characterisation and plenty of wit - Julie is the party-loving singleton who stashes gin, brandy and half-eaten kebabs in her handbag, while romantically-thwarted Laura is the kind of person who revises for a game of Trivial Pursuit after the Queen‘s Speech.  Their tête-à-tête is interspersed with fleeting appearances from Father Christmas himself - David Slack’s downbeat northern Santa is straight out of The Last of the Summer Wine, and his white curly wig wouldn’t disgrace Lady GaGa.  And Mike Seal as Clive, the unworldly Elvis-obsessed busker, tops and tails the story beautifully, ending with a rousing sing-along.

Director Jake Murray - late of The Royal Exchange, where he was responsible for the excellent Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and A Conversation - makes a welcome return to Manchester with this sweet and funny production.

Early booking is recommended, as tonight was sold out.  May I also advise bringing a shoe-horn and a plunger - one for squeezing into your seat with at the beginning, and the other to extricate yourself at the end.

Grotto is on at The Lass o’ Gowrie, 36 Charles Street, Manchester M1 7DB until Saturday 17 December 2011
Tickets:  £6 from www.ibookedit.com
Performances: Thurs & Fri @ 7pm & 9pm; Sat @ 4pm & 7pm
www.hazeltreeproductions.co.uk
www.thelass.co.uk

Dick Whittington

After last year’s hugely successful panto, Cinderella, I wondered how the Waterside Theatre would be able to emulate its former achievements.  I needn’t have worried, as Dick Whittington actually exceeds Cinderella for pure entertainment value.  This production is very slick and polished with non-stop gags and laughs throughout that had us all in stitches.  The cast, direction, set, costumes and choreography are all superb and this really does provide a fantastic evening of festive fun and frolics for all the family!

Panto King, TV and West End star Jonathan Wilkes plays the very likeable and hapless Dick, a role he played in his home town of Stoke two years ago. With a stunning career in theatre and the West End Jonathan has taken the lead in smash-hit shows including Godspell, The Rocky Horror Show, Grease, Guys and Dolls, Tommy, We Will Rock You, The Wedding Singer. He truly is one of our great all round entertainers; very charismatic with a belting singing voice, warmth, wit and the ability to relate to people of all ages.  I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before he has his own entertainment series on TV and becomes known for his talents in his own right and not just as Robbie Williams’ best mate!

Jonathan also directed the panto and has made this an ensemble piece, so all the principals get a fair crack, which makes for a more interesting and rounded show.  The direction is tight and pacey and every possible gag is eked out.  Naturally there are plenty of ‘Dick’ jokes for the adults to enjoy as well as all the visual gags and the usual audience participation for the kids.

The show is opened by EastEnders actress Gillian Wright as Fairy Bow Bells, who gives a very energetic and adept performance.  Unsurprisingly there are a lot of references to her role as Jean Slater in EastEnders and the recognisable ‘duff, duff, duffs’ are played several times.

Christian Patterson, who is co-director and plays Sarah the Cook, performed a short stand-up comedy routine of gags to connect with the audience, before settling into the role of the hideous Sarah with her grotesque outfits.  Christian has an impressive CV of theatre and TV credits and is an associate artiste of Clwyd Theatr Cymru.

Suzanne Carley is the pretty Alice Fitzwarren who falls in love with Dick, loses him and, in true panto style, is reunited for their happy ending.   Suzanne has her own pop band, iPop and has toured the UK, Europe, Middle East and China and Australia.


Her father, Alderman Fitzwarren, is played with great verve and aplomb by Tim Hudson, who also plays the small role of the Sultan of Morocco.  Tim was recently seen in BBC1’s Doctors in a role described as ‘a puma in the snow’!  He has also played a Barrister in EastEnders and, as he usually plays the dame in panto, says he is ‘delighted to be making his debut at the Waterside Theatre in male apparel!’

Everyone loves to boo the baddie and Steven Serlin is an exceptionally good King Rat, with all the rodent-like moves, noises and expressions he was a joy to watch.  He also managed to make the character likeable, which is no mean feat and was great at ad-libbing with the audience.  With a powerful singing voice it’s no surprise that Steven has had an amazing career with notable performances in Little Shop of Horrors and Elvis the Musical.

Kayleigh Wilson is the lovable Tommy the Cat, who helps to see off the rat infestation.

Choreographer Nikki Wilkes has done a sterling job with some fantastic dance routines and I particularly loved the breakdancing rats and the routine to Jai Ho in the Sultan’s palace with the gorgeous costumes.  The red and gold costumes for the finale were also stunning.  Another highlight was the underwater sequence with the giant pink octopus, jelly fish and sea horses.

The rest of the ensemble company are Oliver Tranter, Carla Moorby, Bayley Darling, Rebecca Ridgwell, Gemma Formaston, Aaron Corden, Mikey Frome and Stuart Morris. 

The Juveniles are in the Red Team: Ava Kempster, Pansachol Child, Zoe Robertson, Micaela Perez, Isabella Galloway, Maisy Middleton, Lucy Fox, Katie Hopkins, Jessica Adair, Tamika Wilson, Jessica Hopkins and Georgia McElwee.  In the Blue Team: Ella Sargeant, Abigail Coney, Rebecca Mabey, Lucia Belardo, Amelia Mitchell, Sophie Bewick, Molly Saunders, Alfie Stewart, Chloe Bewick, Hannah Jarvis, Lauren Jarvis and Jessica Mabey.


The script was written by panto stalwart Eric Potts.  Lighting Designer was John Tapster.  Musical Director was Dean Austin with Musical Supervisor and Arranger Chris Hall.  The show was produced by Chief Executive of First Family Entertainment, Kevin Wood.

This panto is really good fun and will make a great  Christmas family outing, as it has something for everyone!

Performance times and dates:

December 14 th
10.30am
19.00pm
15th
13.30pm
19.00pm
16th
13.30pm
19.00pm
17th
14.00pm
19.00pm
18th
13.30pm
17.30pm
19 th & 20th
14.00pm
19.00pm
21st
14.00pm
19.00pm
22nd
14.00pm
19.00pm
23rd
14.00pm
19.00pm
24th
13.30pm
17.30pm

26th
13.30pm
17.30pm
27th
14.00pm
19.00pm
28th
14.00pm
19.00pm
29th
14.00pm
19.00pm
30th
14.00pm
19.00pm
31st
13.30pm
17.30pm

Tickets:  £10.00-£31.00 
Box Office:   0844 871 7607 (bkg fee)
Groups Hotline:  0844 871 7614
Access Booking: 0844 871 7677 (bkg fee)
Online Booking: www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury   (bkg fee)

Reviewed by:
Yvonne Delahaye
13/12/11

Dick Whittington

The Tyne Theatre & Opera House

‘Three things are required at Christmas time; Plum Pudding, Beef and Pantomime; Folks could resist the former two; Without the latter none could do.’

Times may have changed since the above rhyme appeared on an old pantomime handbill, but sentiments haven’t and pantomime remains an integral and essential part of Christmas for many families and theatres across the country. Indeed, for many theatres, the panto is their lifeblood – it is what keeps them afloat financially for the rest of the year. For me, personally, a trip to see ‘the Geordie pantomime’ at the resplendent Tyne Theatre & Opera House, a Grade 1 listed theatre, situated in the heart of Newcastle, is as much a part of Christmas as turkey and all the trimmings.

The Newcastle Panto Company have brought their traditional brand of pantomime to the venue, annually, for a number of years now and audiences return in their droves, each festive season, to see stalwarts including ‘Maxie & Mitch’, Kevin O’Keefe, Charlie Richmond and Catherine McCabe do what they do best – make people laugh.

This year’s production of Dick Whittington brings together the familiar faces and introduces a couple of new ones. As usual, writer and director Brendan Healy has ensured that the show ticks all the right boxes: beautifully detailed sets and scenery; colourful costumes; comedy capers; Geordie dialects and references; boy meets girl; romance and adventure; good triumphing over evil, etc, etc. However, the winning formula has been somewhat changed and, as a result, the show suffers slightly because of it.

As usual, Billy Mitchell (Long John Slavver) and Max Peters (Captain Scuttle) are the comedy double-act that audiences know and love. Yet, without Kevin O’Keefe’s Dame to bounce off, they seem slightly disconcerted. Instead, we have Terry Joyce (making his pantomime debut as Bessie the Cook) serving up more irksome impressions than culinary cuisine and demonstrating a total unsuitability for the part, whilst Kevin O’Keefe is relegated to the dual role of Alderman Fitzwarren and The Sultan of Morocco – both of which are thankless parts, limiting him considerably.

Charlie Richmond retains the role of the simple sidekick, this year playing Idle Jack to Catherine McCabe’s principal boy, and he displays a great rapport with the children who are brought on stage towards the end of the show. Samantha Phyllis Morris, as Alice Fitzwarren, plays principal girl for a second consecutive year and does exactly what the role requires of her – looks attractive, sings sweetly and swoons over Dick Whittington.

Jayne Mackenzie (who was last with the company in Aladdin, two years ago) returns as a campy-vampy Queen Rat and, despite being the strongest singer in the cast, tends to deliver her dialogue with such volume that one might think she intended it to be heard in the auditorium of the Theatre Royal. Resident choreographer Emily Swan also plays possibly the most rewarding of all ‘skin’ parts, Moggie the Cat.

There’s no doubt that this particular version of Dick Whittington has all the hallmarks of a great pantomime, provided that some attention is given to certain scenes. With a bit of tightening here and a spot of trimming there, I’m sure that the Newcastle Panto Company will be back on top form faster than you can say ‘Ship Ahoy!’

Steve Burbridge.

Dick Whittington runs until 2 January 2012.

 

Usually these things don’t touch us. But there is this dark side to certain people, certain communities. And it’s a reminder to the rest of us, of how vulnerable we all are

Through the Night is an intelligent psychological thriller exploring the question how far people will go to protect the ones they love. Set over a single evening, the play discusses issues of class and violence, and how they have the potential to affect and even destroy the comfort of our sheltered homes.

Sal (Terri Dwyer) arrives at her friend Jessica’s home, shaken. There was a fight involving a gang of boys. One boy was down, an ambulance was called, police were present. Sal’s daughter Debbie (Nadia Giscir) will be coming over to talk to the police at Jessica’s and Michael’s home – she is a witness. The crucial point is that Debbie believes she saw Jessica’s son Joe (Jack Johns) in the fight. Jessica (Jan Shepherd) thinks this is completely ridiculous and that Sal is getting worked up over nothing. She is almost too cheerful and overconfident in her denial whereas Sal is painfully self-conscious and insecure. Jessica’s husband Michael (Steven Elder) is a lawyer dealing with people’s problems every day. His reaction to Sal’s story is different as he is trying to rationalize it. By and by the two old friends are getting more and more irritated with each other. Jessica accuses Sal of being hysterical whilst Sal tells her daughter Debbie: “Make them suffer just for once.” When Michael leaves to fetch Joe, who is staying at Colin’s place – a friend of Michael’s -  the situation escalates.

Aptly directed by the talented Matt Grinder, who was also responsible for the intriguing production Orphans at the Trafalgar Studios, this play is perfectly cast and brilliantly unsettling.

 

For information and tickets, see:

http://www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/2011/production-papatango.php

Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London, SW10 9ED

Carolin Kopplin

 

To really get in the festive mood you need some Christmas songs, and there is no better way to hear them than sung by the Rat Pack legends (or actors who perform as them – and are as close to the real thing as we are ever going to get!).

This festive spin off of “Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas” has been a successful touring hit for many years, and there have been a number of Franks, Sammys and Deans who’ve performed the classic songs all over the world. Tonight Chris Mann opened the show as Frank Sinatra, the leader of the pack. With a velvet voice and equally velvet manner, it really did seem like Ol’ Blue Eyes himself was there. Usually with most “tribute” shows, they’ve mastered the voice and if you close your eyes you can imagine it is the star themselves, but Chris Mann has such a look of Sinatra that you can take in the whole performance wide-eyed. As if that wasn’t enough, Nigel Casey as Dean Martin seemed to not only look and sound like the star, but seemed to have the same charisma and charm that he was famous for. His interaction with the audience and his fellow performers made it feel like we really were sharing an evening in the Sands, Las Vegas while watching three of its biggest stars at play.

The third member of the Rat Pack on this show is Sammy Davis Jnr, and this is a very difficult performer to match. I suppose the strength of this kind of show is down to the cast and although George Long had the energy of Sammy Davis Jnr., his vocals didn’t seem to be quite as close a match as his fellow performers. All three were accompanied by Nikki Stokes, Laura Parkes and Jennifer Owen as the Burelli sisters. A fantastic trio who wowed with three part harmony and tight choreography to bring the glamour of these nightclub shows to life. They were also assisted by a fantastic (brass heavy) live band, who gave the whole evening a fantastic sound, and I think received an even bigger applause than the singers for their work. I had never known a trombone could be so tuneful as was shown during the solo from Andy Watson in “I Got You Under My Skin”.

The simple staging of this show is one of its best features. The setting is deliberately intended to hark back to the golden era of the Rat Pack, and the use of lead mics, and the clever choreography required to use them well, is a nice touch that when added to the subtle lighting, grand piano and stunning costumes, provides a classy evening of festive glamour that would certainly be worth raising a mulled wine to!

Listings

Mon 5^th Dec – Sat 10 Dec

Mon – Sat eves: 7.30pm

Thuu & Sat mats: 2.30pm

Tickets: £11 - £29

Box Office: 08448 717 647 (bkg fee)

www.atgtickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

Aladdin

The Customs House, South Shields

For me, the festive season officially begins when I review my first pantomime or Christmas show – and I cannot think of a more magical or wondrous way to kick things off than this year’s production of Aladdin at The Customs House, South Shields.

As tradition dictates, the cast is led by Ray Spencer MBE and Bob Stott as Tommy Wishy-Washy and Widow Dotty Twanky, respectively. The linchpins of ‘the little panto with the big heart’ are joined by fellow stalwarts Peter Darrant (The Evil Abanazar) and Graham Overton (Sultan Sanddancer), whilst Afnan Ifthikar (Genie) returns for a third consecutive season and Alice Brown (Princess Amira) performs in her second. Steven Lee Hamilton (Aladdin), Iain Cunningham (PC Hacker) and Ryan Lynch (PC Blaggitt) all make a welcome return to the South Tyneside venue, having previously appeared in pantomime at The Customs House, whilst Christina Berriman-Dawson (Slave of the Ring) joins the team for the first time.

Of course, everyone knows the rags-to-riches tale of the poor, but honourable, laundry boy who defeats an evil sorcerer and wins the heart of a beautiful princess. However, I doubt that you’ll have ever seen the story told with as much zip, charm and attack. Indeed, the sheer energy, enthusiasm and effort, evident on stage, enchanted and mesmerised the audience in equal measure and had spirits soaring higher than Aladdin’s marvellous magic carpet.

The production values associated with this technically ambitious production are second to none. Paul Shriek is to be commended for his riotously colourful comic-book sets and the vast array of costumes which vary from being bold and bright to outrageous and outlandish to gloriously garish, depending upon which character is wearing them. The script, co-written by Graeme Thompson and Ray Spencer, contains more slapstick, comedy capers, crafty cons, sing-along songs, silly jokes and festive frolics than you can shake a seasonal stick at and it sparkles as brightly as the legendary jewel of Jarrow.

Solid performances are delivered from each and every member of the cast. Ray Spencer and Bob Stott lead in the comedy stakes, with their inimitable brand of madcap mayhem being delivered in the style of true vaudevillians. They are ably supported by Graham Overton as the bumbling Sultan and Iain Cunningham and Ryan Lynch as the inept policemen. Steven Lee Hamilton, who is carving himself an impressive career in the world of musical theatre, shines brightest during his musical numbers, whilst Afnan Iftikhar has been perfectly cast as the Genie of the Lamp and puts in the best performance I have ever seen him deliver. Alice Brown and Christina Berriman-Dawson take two roles which could easily be overlooked, that of Principal Girl and Slave of The Ring, respectively, and make them absolutely integral. And only Peter Darrant could play Abanazar with more mince than a Dickson’s pie and still keep the character sinister and menacing.

This production of Aladdin is packed with magic and mystique and contains more Eastern promise than a certain well-known brand of Turkish Delight. So, climb aboard your magic carpet or take a rickshaw ride to The Customs House and experience some real treasure of the Orient.

Steve Burbridge.

Aladdin runs until Saturday 7 January 2012.