The Shaw Theatre’s Aladdin; London’s greatest Pantomime? Oh yes it is!
Buckets full of glitter, outrageous costumes, stunning sets and catchy songs – sounds like a Gaga show right? Close, it was in fact The Shaw Theatre’s production of Aladdin. That’s right, Panto season is in full swing and I was lucky enough to check out this little beauty right in the heart of London’s Euston road.
The Aladdin story has been a traditional pantomime subject in England for nearly two hundred years. For those who managed to skip the 90’s Disney film adaptation, (you missed out) the storyline stems from a Middle Eastern folk tale of a street boy named Aladdin, who, bizarrely enough, lives in China and dreams of marrying the Princess Jasmine. After stumbling across a magical lamp he enlists the help of a handy genie who grants Aladdin three wishes, which he must use in order to help win the heart of the Princess. Of course things are not that simple and along the way he must battle the evil sorcerer Abanaza who plans to use the lamp for his own dark agenda. With the help of some other larger than life characters it is a true tale of good vs evil.
Starring Ben Richards(The Bill, Footballer’s Wives) and Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist La Voix this spectacular production does not disappoint. The characters were likable and deliciously camp, the band tight and with plenty of opportunities to sing along you would have to be scrooge not to enjoy this festive extravaganza.
Whilst the first half was good, the second half was spectacular! The inclusion of Let it Go from this years Disney blockbuster Frozen delighted the under 12’s and for those less familiar with the work of dear Elsa; Wishy Washy and Widow Twanky’s hilarious scripts packed with innuendos kept them suitably entertained.
Whilst most pantomimes seem to have out priced the average Londoner, family tickets for this production were actually reasonable. The Shaw Theatre is a fantastic venue and even those in the back row will have a good view of the entire stage.
The production runs right up to January 3rd so if you are quick you may still be able to grab a ticket for this fabulous treat!
Reviewer: Carolyn @CarolynOwlett
Website: http://www.shaw-theatre.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Shawtheatre
100-110 Euston Road
NW1 2AJ
020 7666 9037
