The Stage

The Lad Aladdin

Published Tuesday 20 December 2005 at 14:00 by Dave Windass

Berwick Kaler just keeps coming back for more and certainly shows no sign of running out of steam. Once again he triumphs by giving the faithful crowd what they want but still advances his ideas for this annual mirth-fest.

This year, the show kicks off with a lengthy video sequence before the company’s own particular brand of unleashed comedy breaks loose.

While it avoids many of the over-used routines and cliches of panto, the Theatre Royal version does follow its own formula. Kaler (Widow Twanky) and Martin Barrass (Wishee Washee) are always mother and son, poor David Leonard (Abanazar) has to face a tirade of abuse, while Suzy Cooper’s Aladdin is contractually obliged to show off her legs.

This year, amid the dozens of buckets of water that get hurled around and Kaler’s countless ridiculous costumes, there is a greater adherence to the plot, such as it is, and a more generous helping of song and dance numbers. There is also a superb parody of Abba songs, with Barrass and Kaler turning Waterloo into Portaloo and Super Trouper into an ode about pooper scoopers. However, the ever-popular pair are almost upstaged by some fantastic stage animals, most notably a scene-stealing crocodile and his panda housemate.

Nigel Hook’s set design is, as ever, spectacular, Damian Cruden and Kaler’s co-direction hits the button and is totally aware of audience expectations, while the Rob Thorne-led band never fail to impress.