Image from the final bow of Aladdin (Photo credits: Katie Winsor).
Cornwall’s wishes have been granted this year with the Hall for Cornwall’s Christmas panto, Aladdin.
This whirlwind romance is filled with glitter, Cornish humour, wishful twerks and over 35 pasty references in a concoction which is sure to be an easy crowd-pleaser this holiday season.
Flying over from his previous work in West End shows like Billy Elliot, director Nick Evans has brought the same high level production style to the Truro stage.
Transforming the traditional tale into a production for all, it’s sure to have you heckling and clapping before the first act’s wrapped.
This modern twist on the beloved fairy tale whisks audiences away on a carpet ride from Kernow town to a mysterious, magical cave as Aladdin (Alexander Jude), Jasmine (Jasmine Cole) and his eccentric family (Edward Rowe and Gareth Cooper) go on their search for the hidden magic lamp.
Along the way, by land, sky and sea, Aladdin and Jasmine find love amid the chaos, helped by Widow Twerkey (Rowe – also known to local audiences as Kernow King, and a co-writer of the show) after a laundrette invasion by Jasmine’s estranged debt collector mother, Aberzennor (Sara Markland).
Throw in the magic of the Spirit of the Ring’s (Mali Wen Davis) glittery charm and the voice of the freed genie (Dawn French), wishes are sure to come true.
Through bubbles, spectacular lighting and funky twists on many modern hits (including Hot to Go and Abracadabra), the story lifts the magic from the stage into audience’s laps, provoking cheesy grins on many young viewers’ faces.
The Hall for Cornwall stage after the show (Photo credits: Katie Winsor).
The chaos of the search for the magic lamp even involves the children, with some frantic jumping in and out of seats helping our heroes in their quest.
This relationship between the audience and the cast is what can make or break a pantomime’s success, so it was lovely to see the immediate connection from the second the curtain went up.
The introduction to the romantic leads felt slightly rushed, leaving it hard to feel completely connected to their love story, but their looks of affection and harmonious ballads added to the romance.
I was most invested in the dysfunctional relationship between Widow Twerkey and Willy Washaway (Cooper), whose sharp delivery of many corny jokes was a joy.
Her long string of attempts to regain her twerk even caused me to lose interest in the main plot at times.
But the biggest takeaway was really the consistency of the ensemble.
In the words of Aberzennor, ‘where in the holy fudge’ did they find such a talented bunch, whose seamless routines, choreographed by Jevan Howard-Jones, kept me hooked.
From their head-to-toe patchwork in the first act to their Cornish tartan can-can skirts in the second, they never missed a beat.
Look out in particular for their incredibly slick routine to Chappell Roan’s song Hot to Go, or in their words, ‘Got-to-go’.
Following high-spirited routines like these, Aladdin, a story with love, Cornish culture and a bucket of laughs, is sure to bring a little sparkle to audiences this winter.
This story is one of five reviews of Aladdin, find the other stories here:
Tia Boddey: Twerking, pasties, and magic: Aladdin delivers laughs at Hall for Cornwall
Katie Winsor: Say goodbye to 2025 on a magic carpet ride
Maisie Milward: Cornish magic sprinkled over an unmissable Aladdin
Marla Payne: Aladdin: You’re in for a treat
Fleur Rogerson: Kernow King reigns true in Hall for Cornwall’s unmissable Aladdin