Our last production - Rock 'n' Roll Aladdin


 

 

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BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE REVIEW
"We've all heard of triple threat performers; well, those in Aladdin at the Shaw Theatre, London are a rare bread of performer known as the quadruple threat. Not only can they sing, act and dance, but they all play numerous musical instruments to accompany the show.

This Aladdin has a rock 'n' roll theme, which includes lively musical numbers such as 'I'm a believer' and 'Make you a star'; all superbly played and performed by the talented cast.

Graham Kent as Widow Twankey is most definitely a man in a dress, or should we say man of many dresses? Dressed as a pagoda, a washing machine and an oriental vase at various points throughout the show, Kent commands the stage and enjoys many a comic caper with Chris Coxon as Wishee Washee.

Coxon is a sprightly Wishee who has the children screaming with delight each time he bounces onto the stage. At his command the audience shout with pleasure "We all think you're dishy" to his call of "Wishee Washee Wishee".

Someone who does find Wishee dishy is So-Shi played by Susannah Van Den Berg; a sabre wielding comic handmaiden to a beautiful Princess Baldroubadour (Tara Nelson). It is nice to see the 1001 Nights' name still in use today after Disney's Jasmine taking over since the film of 1992. It is almost impossible for any production to ignore Disney's influence over the genre and nods to the House of Mouse are still present in the form of Abanaza's staff and a flying carpet.

As this is a rock-panto, there's no time for slow ballads: high octane energy is the name of the game. Here the cast act, sing, dance and play throughout the night as if they are sponsored by Duracell. For the entire running time of the show the atmosphere in the theatre is electric.

Multi-roling is a key concept for Jess Robinson as she tackles Slave of the Ring and Emperor Hee Shee / Empress Shee Hee. The name itself hints at the blurring of genders and Robinson does well to create a somewhat schizophrenic Chinese ruler with some facial hair funny business providing much laughter in Act Two. As Slave of the Ring she teams up with Wishee Washee to deliver a contemporary pop music, Susan Boyle encompassing, re-make of the 'Twelve Days of Christmas', providing her with the opportunity to show off her great impersonation skills.

The theatrical space is well used, with actors entering and exiting through the auditorium. So besotted were the children of the audience with Oliver Seymour-Marsh's Aladdin that they mobbed him rock star style as he made his final triumphant exit from the stage; for many this was their first theatrical and concert experience concurrently.

Writers Will Brenton and Iain Lauchlan, creators of 'The Tweenies', have used their skill and expertise to create a fantastic script for this family show. Widow Twankey says, "There's nothing like blowing your own trumpet" and with a production as good as this, she deserves to blow it loud and proud."

Review by Simon Sladen

 

 

TIME OUT REVIEW"...Olivor Seymou-Marsh's Aladdin ripping out a guitar solo from atop his magic carpet and Billy Geraght's boo-tastic Abanazer doing something similar from the aisle; Chris Coxon's Wishee Washee does a neat George Formby impersonation. 'Deal or No Deal', Tiger Woods and 'In The Air Tonight' drumming gorilla are among the zeitgeist-y phenomena to get nods in Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton's script."

Review by Robert Shaw

 

 

EXTRA! EXTRA! REVIEW
"Who needs Pam Anderson when you have talent?  The Shaw Theatre's panto runs rings around standard London seasonal fare, then slides on its knees across the stage, punishing a guitar.

Aladdin may tick all the panto boxes, but its cast and creatives are thinking anywhere but inside them.  There are plenty of the "he's behind you!" and drag gags that leave small vocal cords hoarse.  But the Shaw Theatre's rock and roll twist (and shout) on the pantomime formula has kids in their fifties on their feet clapping along and grinning like Louis Walsh at a Jedward concert.

Told in the pyro-technicolor of panto, the rock-fuelled show follows the story of Aladdin, his mother Widow Twankey, and his, er, challenged brother Wishee Washee.  Aladdin, of course, falls in love with Princess Baldroubadour.  Meanwhile, Abanazar (booo! ssss!) needs a pure young heart to retrieve the mystical lamp and has designs of his own on the princess.  Duping the boy into helping him, Abanazar uses Aladdin then betrays him.  With the princess, the lamp and its wish-granting genie at stake, Aladdin must face the evil wizard in a final showdown.

Oliver Seymour-Marsh gives a better-than-X-Factor performance as Aladdin, his pop charm and charisma reaching its apex in a climactic rendition of "Magic Carpet Ride" atop an actual, if a bit psychedelic, flying carpet (a clever trick of David Muir's lighting design).

Playing opposite the hero, Tara Nelson is the spectacularly adorable Princess Baldroubadour.  Nelson's powerfully sweet voice makes the pair's duet "I'm a Believer" undeniably endearing.

But as in all panto, booing the villains and laughing at the idiots often proves much more fun than cheering the heroes.  And there's no shortage of villains and idiots surrounding these leads.

Graham Kent's drag Widow Twankey is as unapologetically thick as she is unabashedly entertaining.  His deviously ingenious wardrobe crowns the achievement of Imagine Theatre's costume design team, whose perverse inventions include a dress made from a bowl of noodles.

The entire cast is a fantastic walking spectacle—something akin to an '80's workout video and Barney the dinosaur in a fabulous head-on collision.

Bill Geraghty's endlessly pleased-with-himself Abanazar laps up 'boos' as if the taunts are fortifying nectar of the gods, sending the children wild with delight and screaming in redoubled earnest.

Chris Coxon's ne'er-do-well Wishee Washee makes Kent's Widow Twankey look like a genius.  Coxon plays the simpleton with the signature zeal of ignorance, charming children and adults alike, while taking ukulele, bass and dance duties in his stride.

If it's James Brown in a bottle you're looking for, then you've rubbed the right lamp.  Adebayo Bolaji radiates an exuberant Michael Jackson-meets-Wayne Brady mojo as the Genie, also managing to pay momentary homage to Robin Williams.

Susannah Van Den Berg's commanding voice and presence as So Shi give a pin-sharp counterpoint to the waifish Wishee, who's smitten with her.

It's only out of respect for the rest of the cast's electric performances that I don't proclaim comedienne Jess Robinson official thief of the show.  She plays keyboards and drums, the airy Spirit of the Ring and the delightfully ridiculous Emperor and Empress.  But it's her prowess as an impressionist that caps the show.

Near the end of the evening, Robinson and Coxon perform an Olympic feat of Christmas comedy, complete with Coxon on ukulele and a riotous litany of pop star impressions courtesy of Robinson.

The entire cast is characterised by astonishing versatility.  They all play their own instruments, from trumpet to tambourine.  Most, if not all of them play more than one instrument as well as multiple characters.  Even the ASM (Katie Pritchard) wears many hats, including a furry one when she dons a costume for some stagehand hijinks.

My only temptation to meddle with the show was an urge to knock on the sound booth door and ask the board operator to turn up the vocals in nearly every mix—it's a shame to let any of the fantastic voices take a back seat to the instruments.

The show's inventive, apropos use of songs ensures the rock and roll twist never distracts.  From Abanazar singing "Bad" to Aladdin's "Magic Carpet Ride," Kevin Oliver Jones (Musical Supervisor and Arrangements) makes the familiar songs feel like they were written for the show.

By the time the end of the story arrives and the show devolves into a Shrek-esque rock celebration coda—to the tune of "Celebration" of course—director Guy James has the audience hypnotised and it's clear no one plans on leaving anytime soon.

The writers (Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton) get the mix of groan-worthy gags and up-to-the-second topical humour exactly right, never neglecting one age group for another.

From the jokes to the music, Aladdin fires on all cylinders.  If it's your first panto or your hundred and first, by the time you walk out of the Shaw Theatre, you should check your pulse if you don't feel like you're five years old at 4:30 am on Christmas morning, about to wake your parents."

Review by Chad Armitstead

 

 

FINANCIAL TIMES REVIEW"...I was, however, pleasantly surprised to see a strong showing at the Shaw in a rock'n'roll treatment of the tale by Iain Lauchlan and Will Brenton, best known as the creators of The Tweenies on BBC children's television.  Review by Ian Shuttleworth

 

 

HAM & HIGH REVIEW**** "At las, the Shaw Theatre has come up with something totally workable. This is a great venue for pantomime and musical theatre in general and Penny Rock, along with Imagine Theatre, has come up with a rock 'n' roll Aladdin involving a clutch of classic numbers that everyone will know and understand. These are songs from Grandma's time that are still appreciated by the littlest child - and on my visit there were tint toddlers as well as the usual school groups.

An ear-splitting thunder clap silences down the starling-like twittering from the youthful audience and, with a villainous laugh, Billy Geraghty - as a magnificently garbed and menacing Abanazer - is discovered onstage to deliver his nefarious plans. This is followed by the company singing and playing 'Dancing In The Street' and we realise that this is going to be an afternoon full of joyful experiences.

The show is excellently cast with an all-singing all-dancing troupe of experienced musical performers. The finale of 'Twist and Shout' with every member of the cast playing and singing raises the roof and os enthusiastically encored.

Aladdin is played by Oliver Seymour-Marsh, a very charming young man who has great audience rapport. He enthrals them with his solo spot, playing his guitar and singing precariously perched on a magic carpet which gradually floats halfway to the flies. He is a real rock 'n' roll hero running up and down the aisle with all the little hands reaching out to touch him. Widow Twanky is played by Graham Kent, big and butch in his fantastical frocks, sharing comedy routines with Chris Cox as Wishy Washy. And Adebayo Bolaji is a truly hip and cheeky genie of the lamp.

The script is entirely suitable for the youngest of young ones and there is an unusual amount of audience participation. No song sheet but you can't have everything and the audience join in all the songs anyway.

Guy James directs and the music is played live by the cast. Oh and the drummer is a gorilla!!!

Review by Aline Waites