Dates

Production Dates:6, 7 and 8 February 2003.

Summary

Traditional Aladdin pantomime given the usual Magdalene Players twist.

Cast     Abanazar   Gordon Thomson Thylvia   Kathryn Daw Aladdin   Lucy Gray Ping   Matthew Cooper Pong   Kester Lindley Jasmine   Margot Johnston Lotus   Kate Cooper Wishee Washee   Aaron Shakespeare Widow Twankee   David Ashton Cha Lee   Kim Richmond Bailey Jini   Trevor Pyne Emperor Chow Mein   Stephen Johnstone Empress Chop Suey   Emma Millward Camel   Andy Lee Townspeople, Coolies, Guards and Handmaidens   Clare Allen, Sophie Allen, Georgina Carter, Olivia Corsan, Tom Cox, Kitty Gilbert, Grace Higgins, Gemma Hill, Milly Hindle, Rupert Jones, Vicky McCarthy, Imogen Perkins, Hannah Pickard Brown, Rosie Thomson, Lily Tong, Laura Trosser Dancers   FUNKY MOVES - Linda Magistris Isobel Brady, Grace Higgins, Amy Magistris, Lauren Nicholls, Frankie Prince, Chloe Ross, Vivien Solak, Isobel Wyatt Production Crew     Director   Nigel Gray Producer   Chris Robertson Musical Director   Rob Demianiuk Script   Chris Denys and Chris Harris Additional Material   Nigel Gray, David Ashton Designer   Gordon Thomson Lighting   Bernard Godwin Stage Manager   David Cooper Costumes   Sue Thomson, Jane Cooper Sound   Richard Grogan, James Grogan Make Up   Victoria Bailey, Alison Squires Prompt   Maggie Hewitt Property Master   Chris Robertson Box Office   The Crosswells Front of House Manager   Jane Cooper Publicity   Aaron Shakespeare, Pat Wilson Programme   Bernard Godwin Refreshments   Parents of the Chorus Keyboards   Rob Demianiuk Guitar   Michael Grogan

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Review

Washing Your Dirty Laundry in Public

A review of Aladdin by Jane Capon

It's panto season again at the Magdelene Players and this year's production was Aladdin. The cast was both talented and enthusiastic - none more so than Widow Twankee (David Ashton), the laundress, in a stunning pair of pink tights and twelve-hole black Doc Martens. I know him better as someone who used to work with me, but this is a side to David most people should see at least once.

Widow Twankee came on stage throwing Starburst sweets into the audience and targeting those in the front rows with innuendo and much fluttering of rainbow-sparkled false eyelashes. That wasn't all that was false - there was clearly more than a Wonderbra going on there. He must know Jordan's plastic surgeon. My particular favourite songs were "Better the Devil You Know" performed with Wishee Washee and a shopping trolley; and "Sex Bomb" - a duet with a very scary bumping and grinding Abanazar.

The production had that slightly dangerous edge that many amateur shows have - backdrops that wouldn't quite drop; a magic carpet in need of David Blaine's assistance; and some lines that clearly wouldn't be learned. Abanazar had an offstage prompt approximately every two minutes or so.

This made it all great fun - you never quite knew what was going to happen next. And as this was the first night and the second act had not yet had a full run-through, many things could have gone wrong. As it turned out, the hitches were fairly minor, and the audience was won over by the gifted cast.

In particular Wishee Washee (Aaron Shakespeare) had a huge stage presence, and perhaps has a future in children's television. Aladdin (Lucy Gray) and Princess Jasmine (Margot Johnston) had very pleasant singing voices and were wonderfully youthful and pretty in the lead roles. But my favourite supporting characters were the deadpan and doleful Emperor Chow Mein (Stephen Johnstone), and a tiny, very talented dancer (un-named) aged about five, who clearly enjoyed herself the whole time on stage.

I would also like to comment on the interval refreshments - the best cup of tea I've had in a long time. And with a proper saucer, too. By the end of the evening we were all on our feet singing and doing the YMCA dance with the cast. My only suggestion to improve the show would be - more sweeties next time - I only got one Starburst!

Kate Hills' view of the production was as follows:

"I was really looking forward to The Magdalene Players performance of Aladdin and I was not disappointed.

The cast were all lively, enthusiastic and colourful and there were plenty of well chosen songs, all very ably directed by Rob Demianiuk, who was making his debut with the players.

I was very pleased to see Margot Johnston finally taking a lead role as Jasmine, Aladdin's girlfriend. She has always had a teriffic enthusiasm which shines through in all that she does; and her performance in this production was certainly no exception. Lucy Gray displayed her excellent musical talent and gave us all a treat in the title role with her clear and pure singing voice. Together the two of them made a 'perfect pair'.

David Ashton, as usual, made a great Widow Twankey. He really did liven up the proceedings with his unique style of ad libs and natural raport with the audience. Special mention should also go to Kathryn Daw as Thylvia, who not only sang so well, but also brought a real comic spark to the character; so too, did Trevor Pyne in his role as the Gene. He made me laugh a lot and I was always pleased to see him come back on stage. Aaron Shakespeare's rendition of the Ali G's rap song in his role of Wishee Washee was excellent and right up to date.

All in all I was very impressed with the obvious hard work that went in to pulling off such a production, although it was a little too long, which primarily is down to quicker and sharper exits and entrances. However as a past member of the Players I know this is particularly hard considering the lack of space back stage. I do think, though if links between scenes could be speeded up in some way it would help to improve things overall.

I was also very concious of the lack of clarity and volume of speech, particularly when the chorus have their one lines to do. I have to say that nine times out of ten the audience missed the punch line (or this member did anyway) just because I couldn't hear. This note also applies to some of the grown ups too. So please speak up-it makes all the difference

The choice of YMCA as the audience participation song was perfect. I, for one, was sin ging and joining in with all the actions and judging by those I could see around me, most of the rest of the audience were too. It's a song that lends itself perfectly to a mass sing song, so much so that it's a real struggle not to participate

It was an excellent ending to a real fun evening. Well done everyone for providing such an enjoyable evening's entertainment."