Aladdin — a thoroughly enjoyable romp
Review
What: Aladdin – The Trueish Story
Where: Cambridge Gaslight Theatre
When: November 8-12
Reviewed by: Richard Swainson
Pantomimes are all about audience interaction. ‘‘Oh no, they aren’t’’ I hear you cry. Well, for the purposes of critiquing the success of Gaslight Theatre’s Aladdin, I would respond with a hearty ‘‘oh yes they are’’. The matinee session attended Sunday afternoon saw the snug Cambridge space packed to the proverbial gunnels with awestruck youngsters and their pun-tolerant elders. The production proved witty, engaging and innovative, a playful variation on an oft-told tale, sprinkled with sufficient 21st century references and well disguised innuendo to keep most everyone happy.
An original script by Nigel Slaughter is keen to distance itself from Disney’s 1990s animated classic of the same name and more recent and rather less successful live action remake. Slaughter returns the story to China, with the titular character one of the two sons of the Widow Twankey, the proprietress of a laundry. The author himself takes on the role of the power-hungry Abanazar, a man with an unnaturally close relationship with his pet zebra, plotting national domination. If only he could get his hands on the magic lamp. Through paper-thin subterfuge he employs the indolent Aladdin to that end, unwittingly facilitating the boy’s own ambition to marry the country’s princess, a modern woman with an agenda of her own.
The first blessing in a production not short on spirited acting is that of Eleanor Whittaker as the Narrator. If Slaughter’s Aladdin were Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream you could not find a more charismatic Puck than Whittaker, who with clear diction and impressive technique milks every line, inviting the audience in and guiding them through at times convoluted plotting and unclear character motivation.
Children are warned about poisoned ice creams at half time – a prompt that paid dividends at the kiosk – whilst adults are invited to imbibe. It really was my kind of show.
Another conceit that pays off, if more in Act One, is Liam Dobson’s Sori, an animatronic character seated to the side of the stage, who literally lights up whenever someone apologises. As written, Sori is clearly a parody of Apple’s Siri but as played by Dobson, who hails from North America, he reminded me of Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Data, the actor’s deadpan delivery every inch the equal of Brent Spiner’s. Exactly why Sori is holding a stuffed zebra is left to the imagination, evidence of Slaughter’s and co-director Tracey Barlow’s all-in commitment to the motif.
Other standouts include Poppy Fox-Worthington as Wishee-Washee, Aladdin’s more sympathetic brother, who plays the part with open-faced gusto, Lyra Slaughter’s Princess So-Shi (don’t call her Sushi!), the understated liberal mouthpiece of the play and Chrissy Goodin, who is magnificently haughty and condescending as the broke Empress. An especial mention too for the indescribably cute 8-yearold Theia Morton, who in a variety of parts steals every scene she is in and indeed threatens to steal the entire show. Seeing Morton wield a sword three times too big for her is one of the comic highpoints of 2022.
Strangely, the more classic roles are in some ways less memorable. Abananzar could have done with more scenery chewing villainy than backstory and Aladdin rather gets lost in his own tale, less the fault of a well cast Sean Hapi than a script busy elsewhere. Dave Moore’s Widow Twankey is no doubt consistent with centuries of British stage tradition yet seems a little passe´ in the age of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, whatever the eye-catching costuming. Moore brings professional polish but men in dresses just aren’t as amusing as they once were. Perhaps if he had employed the screeching tones of a Monty Python ‘pepperpot’.
In the prime role of the Genie, Maxime Savole, is unexpectedly and charmingly French but not in an ’Allo ’Allo sense. Savole is actually from France, which ironically limits the play’s capacity to exaggerate his accent or milk the type of laughs traditionally associated with pantos.
In any case, the main innovation of Slaughter’s Aladdin is to create a parallel genie figure, the Slave of the Ring. Tracey Barlow is just wonderful, a joy to behold in each scene, sarcasm and worldweariness dripping from every word. She is the glue that holds her own production together, especially in Act Two when the various subplots threaten to get out of hand.
As Whittaker’s Narrator acknowledges, Aladdin could have concluded at the end of Act One, satisfying all punters. The pace never slackens and performances are consistent throughout. Slaughter’s and Barlow’s ambitions are to be applauded. Aladdin is a thoroughly enjoyable romp.