37 Aladdin

The Regis Players
Aladdin
Reviewed by: Jose Harrison on Sunday 11th December, 2016
Venue: Felpham Village Hall
Type of Production: Pantomime
Director: Peter Green
Musical Director: Carole Rogers
Choreographer: Sandy Knight & Erin Green

SHOW REPORT

Pantomime has become a thriving business in this country and many amateur groups rely on their panto income to help keep their company solvent. I very much doubt that this is the case with Regis Players but it was great to see them let their hair down and perform something less serious than usual. The origins of British Pantomime, date back to the middle ages, but has been adapted to survive up to the present day. As we know it today it’s a show predominantly aimed at children, based on a popular fairy tale or folk legend. The most popular subjects being: “Cinderella”, followed by “Aladdin”, “Dick Whittington” and “Snow White”. Regis’s production was a traditional ‘Aladdin’ in the best sense, having all the ingredients to entertain an audience of all ages. Peter Green was fortunate in having a strong talented cast who all gave confident performances. The show opened with dramatic music as Clive Curtis as Abanazar oiled his way across the stage in the most frightening fashion booming out his intent to find the magic lamp regardless of who got hurt. He certainly raised a lot of Boos from the audience but no children cried so he obviously got off to a good start. An unusual touch was added to the story by Paul Ramsay as Tootsie the Dragon who had escaped and the audience had to keep an eye open for him, thus causing a lot of ‘behind yous’ and general excitement. Bernard Taylor as Widow Twankey was fabulous as the Dame. Played differently from the more standard and usual Dames, he was sheer joy to watch causing huge merriment every time he appeared. He just seemed to get it right. Chrissie Lester did a great job of playing Aladdin but I am forced to say that I felt she was too old for the part. This in no way decries her efforts and as a village Panto, got away with it. All the other members of the cast gave good performances, knew their words and sang out well, especially Wendy Gray (Slave of the Ring), Di Hiblen (Dragon Keeper), Keith Hellyer (Chief of Police/Genie), Keith Jordan (Vizier), and Rebecca Moore as a delightful Princess. Her parents performed by Trevor Roman and Sue Bartlett were very imposing in their roles whereas John Covey as Wishee Washee was quite the reverse. (His efforts with the young children from the audience whom he formed into a band with musical instruments was remarkable) All three of these came over really well in their parts. So Shi, the police, the chorus and the dancers gave good support to the principals, the scenery was clever, especially the staging and the lighting all added to making this a good evening’s entertainment.