29 November – 12 January
There is a memorable, magical scene in the Everyman Theatre’s pantomime this year which takes your breath away. Our protagonist, Aladdin, seems to defy all the principles of physics in a technical coup de théâtre which will leave astonished audiences scratching their heads in wonder. Such is the captivating power of theatre that it can both dazzle and baffle us with such moments of sheer ingenuity and bravura.
As with many of the Everyman’s previous festive offerings in which the same stock shows come around roughly once every five years, there is much to recommend about this year’s pantomime, Aladdin. Transposed to the fictional setting of a glitzy, glamorous Glos Vegas, we find all the familiar, established elements of the traditional panto form, recycled and reimagined for 2024. The irrepressible Tweedy, with his unique blend of physical slapstick and quick wit, once again provides the comedic glue that allows this tried and tested formula to stick, with a notional storyline about the eponymous hero’s missing lamp, and the attempts of the suitably hammy sorcerer Abadnazar (Miles Western) to achieve world domination. But we do not come to panto for riveting, compelling drama – we come instead to enjoy the inane, the chaotic and the downright silly. And there is plenty of all three on offer here, even if at times the performance feels a little flat and lacking in energy. Audience engagement, a fundamental pillar of the whole pantomime experience, is less in evidence this year, especially with a lack of that Schadenfreude-inspiring front row jeopardy which sees unsuspecting primary school teachers hauled up onto the stage.
Visually, Aladdin looks good: a vibrant Vegas-style set courtesy of designer Andrew Exeter and lavish, colourful costumes from Ryan Dawson Laight imbue the performance with some festive sparkle, although the scantily-clad dancers in some distinctly risqué outfits seem more appropriate for Moulin Rouge than panto. Musically, the score is pleasant and enjoyable enough, but the songs are less than memorable, and whilst there is a welcome return for Kevin Brewis’ saucy dame Widow Twankey this year, Abadnazar’s Elvis-impersonating baddie pales alongside Jessica Martin’s wonderfully villainous Demon Vanity from last year. In fact, there are numerous in-jokes and references to previous pantos which are lost on the uninformed and those new to the Everyman panto formula, all of which suggest that, a bit like Tweedy’s hilarious yellow balloon, originality seems to have been stretched a little thinly with this year’s show. Writer and co-director Sam Holmes appears, albeit virtually, as a pre-recorded genie, and whilst this presents an obvious pitfall with timing, the trick just about works. Surely though, a ‘live’ genie would have been preferable?
However, despite these caveats, I found my fellow audience members to be united by a common sense of joy and laughter. And this, surely, is the raison d’être for traditional pantomimes: organised chaos, comedy and slapstick nonsense wrapped around a popular, albeit tenuous, traditional fairy story, ideally with lots of audience participation thrown in for good measure? The smiling faces and post-show buzz seemed to suggest that the demand for, and appeal of, pantomime remains a fundamental and enduring part of our festive season. Fittingly for a Vegas-themed show, the gamble still seems to be paying off. Just. As long as Tweedy graces this particular stage – albeit a clearly injured Tweedy with a reduced physical repertoire this year – there will always be much to laugh at, and further magical moments to be enjoyed.
★★★☆☆ Tony Clarke 7th December 2024
Photo credit: Thousand World Media
