Once the most popular of all pantomime titles, 2023 sees Aladdin relegated to fifth place. Whilst many producers grapple with how to present the title respectfully, some are finding their way and realising that reappraisal can be bring new life to an age-old tale.
Orientalism and racist stereotyping have featured heavily in Aladdin since the nineteenth century, exposing the political relationship between Britain and China. Tradition is often used as an excuse for the repetition of such practice, but Evolution Productions’ Aladdin demonstrates the company’s commitment to inclusivity and cultural awareness.
Aladdin is possibly the first pantomime to credit a Sensitivity Reader in Daniel York Loh. There’s no lazy punning of Asian cuisine or derogatory jokes based on pronunciation; instead, the Marlowe Theatre’s production relocates the action to a Canterburyesque Sturry Road, the site “where East meets West”, enabling the presentation of cultural exchange and acknowledging the role British imperialism has played in impacting so many countries and cultures across the world. It’s out with Widow Twankey, Wishee Washee and the laundry, remnants of historic cultural referencing and topicality, and in with Dame Dolly, Charlie and their aptly named joke emporium ‘Born to Pun’.
Writer and director Paul Hendy’s pantomimes are always big on comedy, and this year is no exception. From the show’s overture paying homage to Morecambe and Wise to Dame Dolly’s Tommy Cooper fez-inspired outfit, Aladdin is a love letter to the greats. The joke shop set-up works perfectly as a site of comic potential, but there’s nothing old-fashioned about this good-old-fashioned fun, and indeed Hendy has hit on the perfect formula: a pantomime that captures the energy, anarchy and excitement of Saturday morning kids’ TV and game shows à la It’s a Knockout! and Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.
Centre, of course, to all these genres is the audience, and this year they are truly the stars of the show, particularly Dame Dolly’s love interest, who becomes a key component in the evening’s tomfoolery. There are so many showstoppers that the production rivals the Royal Variety, but a particular highlight is an animal-inspired pun-run, followed closely by a lip-synching sequence wherein the characters use the Immersive Sonic Thought Transistor 3000 to reveal their inner thoughts.
Central to the mayhem, celebrating his thousandth pantomime performance and fifteenth year at the Marlowe Theatre, Ben Roddy proves his panto prowess as one of the best Dames in the business. A masterclass in clowning, the mere hint of a lunge and the audience are ready to shout back his now-legendary catchphrase, “it’s the laaaaaaaaw!” with great gusto. Roddy’s physicality reinvents Max Wall for generations Z and A, with his ability to set the audience at ease in amongst his playfulness, a skill many wish they could master.
Roddy’s partner in crime is Phil Gallagher as Dame Dolly’s son, Charlie. Better known to many as CBeebies’ ‘Mister Maker’, Gallagher captures both the naughtiness and naïvety inherent to growing up, making him the perfect Comic. Together, the two work in tandem with one another, never competing for the laugh, but understanding that comedy relies upon teamwork and timing, which reaches another level thanks to Zain Abrahams’s officiously zany PC World as he battles ever harder to keep everything and everyone in order.
In Hendy’s production, almost everyone has a funny bone, including Courtney Bowman’s Spirit of the Ring and Shannon Farrell’s Genie of the Lamp, who work perfectly as a divine double act. Bowman’s charisma brings an electric energy to the show from the off, with her vocal prowess and characterisation making Betty, Spirit of the Ring, a real audience favourite.
As Ivan Tochacha, Kevin Clifton is deliciously evil, channelling the Machiavellian, melodramatic villains of the silent film era and Victorian melodrama. With Ivan’s desire to be the Greatest Ballroom Dancer in the World, Clifton proves he’s fully prepared to send himself up, regardless of how many times he’s called Anton Du Beke. An outstanding pantomime debut, Clifton is truly a triple threat and regularly gets the chance to flex his own comedic muscle, none more so than in a classic and expertly executed spotlight sequence as he fights for the light’s attention.
Alistair So and Lauren Chia as Aladdin and Jasmine capture the chemistry required as romantic leads, but there’s nothing schmaltzy or sickly sweet about their relationship. It’s vibrant and exciting, much helped by their first duet comprising an upbeat love medley mashup complete with comic book, cinematic-style storytelling.
In his twenty-ninth Marlowe pantomime, musical director Chris Wong has pulled together a soundtrack that knocks most others out the park encompassing Kaiser Chiefs, Wheatus, Paul Simon, Sam Ryder, Pulp, Beyoncé, Kinky Boots, Moulin Rouge and Back to the Future the Musical.
The enthusiastic ensemble execute Simon Barnum’s vibrant choreography with precision and commitment, whilst Morgan Brind’s design effortlessly transports the audience to Pantoland in all its glory. Jack Weir’s lighting design combined with Dr Andy’s animated projections add extra dynamism to a show bursting with vim, verve and pizzazz with spectacle provided in many forms, from Burnt Toast’s impressive carpet that captures the lightness of sailing on the wind and flips 360 degrees in the blink of an eye, whilst The Black Diamonds flip, tumble and play with fire in an act that brings acrobatics and circus to the pantomime stage.
There aren’t many forms of entertainments that can claim Barbie, Super Soakers and a moonwalking rabbit as key components of their dramatic structure, but that’s the wonderful world of pantomime. Who could ask for anything more?