Review: Aladdin at The Brindley ****

If you can win over an auditorium of sugar-fuelled schoolchildren, you know you’re doing something right.

So chapeau to the cast of Aladdin at The Brindley in Runcorn for capturing and holding the attention of not one but two audiences full of under 11s on a bleak December Monday – including an up-for-it cohort of kids from a Preston primary who were decanted in excited mood from a fleet of coaches for a matinee on the banks of the Bridgewater Canal.

This New Pantomime Productions Ltd version of the oriental rags-to-riches story is solidly constructed and bright, good-natured festive fare, energetically delivered in The Brindley’s warm and inviting auditorium by cast and three-strong band.

And the script, while not squeaky clean, is mercifully free of the worst panto innuendo proving you don’t need to be endlessly edgy to entertain.

In the kingdom of Runconia, Princess Yasmin (Rebecca Lake) dreams of escaping the confines of the palace walls while lowly but cheerful subject Aladdin (Rubin Cavanagh) dreams of escaping poverty in the home he shares with his washerwoman mum and – as it turns out, not so dim or hapless - brother Wishee Washee (Matt Dallen, working the young crowd with a firm but friendly hand).

But is the arrival of the mysterious Abanazer a chance to change Aladdin’s stars, or is he in for a nasty surprise that only a couple of genies (Laura Hesketh and Ashley Johnson) can fix?

I think we all know the answer to that, but there's plenty of fun getting there.

Alexander J Smith makes for a particularly good Abanazer. Less eyebrow-raising Eastern baddie than sinister, steampunk Chitty-style child catcher, he provokes healthy levels of ‘boos’ from the young audience right from the off. There are also not many actors who are likely to have both Malvolio and panto baddies on their CV.

Above: Aladdin (Rubin Cavanagh), the Genie of the Ring (Laura Hesketh) and Widow Twankey (Sean Lucknam) in Aladdin. Top: Aladdin takes a magic carpet ride. Photos by Clix Portfolio.

But then saying that, veteran dame Sean Lucknam – a statuesque Widow Twankey (with a delivery that reminds of Liverpool's Michael Chapman, just less…wild-eyed and unpredictable), is also no slouch in the Shakespeare department according to his biography in the programme.

Meanwhile ‘Traitor’ Amanda Lovett, the show's star name, holds her own as the Empress among a more experienced cast – she delivers what are a substantial number of lines with confidence, and takes the gentle ribbing about her melodious Welsh accent with good and serene grace. She maybe just needs to consider toning down her expansive gesturing a touch.

There’s colourfully-painted scenery and backcloths and really sharp and seamless set changes. Plus some well choreographed and performed dance numbers from the adult and child ensembles.

Most of the actual storytelling takes place before the interval. After the break the second half is more a series of panto set pieces.

I personally think you should plump for either the 'ghosties and ghoulies' or the 12 Days of Christmas. Here the audience gets both.

Judging from the decibel levels rising from the stalls they were equally well received.

But of the two, the 12 Days has the edge, descending into well executed, (mostly) controlled and broadly choreographed chaos.

Which is, after all, exactly what panto is all about.