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Aladdin

Published Monday 15 December 2008 at 12:30 by Julie Watterston

While this production offers all the necessary ingredients for traditional pantomime, there is not quite enough dynamism from the script itself to give the show the real lift that it needs.

The cast works hard at what is sometimes a laborious task and the missed creative opportunities for slapstick comedy and fast-moving action leave them plodding along and relying solely on their own abilities.

Thankfully there are some great personalities on stage. Ray Meagher’s illustrious TV and stage career gives him the edge on Abanazar whom he plays with Shakespearean poise and Pui Fan Lee is a talented children’s entertainer whose cheeky, Cockney Aladdin is played with an inspiring energy.

Noel Brodie works resourcefully at gaining the audience’s confidence as Wishee Washee and Byron Mondahl employs some great comedy skills as PC Pong, although Billy Boyle’s low-key performance means that Widow Twankey lacks the energy to whip the audience into any great panto fervour.

Ian Good sticks to conventional direction with refreshing contemporary choreography from David Ball.

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