ALADDIN

Mercury Theatre Company

Mercury Theatre, Colchester

04 December 2010

for The Public Reviews

“It's off the advert !” Yes, indeed – Dimples the Meerkat, second only to Churchill the dog on this year's panto circuit, transported from Siberia to Old Shalimar for the Mercury's cheerful, colourful panto, written and directed by Janice Dunn.

And judging by the audience reaction, a popular choice, upstaging many of the hard-working Mercury company.

Wishee Washee – causing chaos in the laundry – was Dale Superville, with a cheeky grin and an engaging persona. His formidable mother, Widow Twankey, was a slightly cynical Tim Treslove, who was at his best in the tribute snatches randomly dropped into the plot, and the neat Little Chu Chi Face duet with Roger Delves-Broughton's lovely bumbling Emperor.

The young lovers were Jai Vethamony – his first ever panto - as a likeable Aladdin, and Elizabeth Brown as the princess Jasmine.

It was a clever, if confusing, touch to have the shape-shifting genie of the lamp played by three actors, including the excellent Ignatius Anthony, who was also Abu, our story-teller.

Product placement puppets apart, the star of the show for us was David Tarkenter, who enjoyed his role as baddie Abanazer, and was loudly booed even in disguise.

MD Graeme Du Fresne did his best with some so-so songs and a mixed ability cast, but Charlie Morgan's choreography was a delight, with the company augmented by eight talented youngsters. The Act One finale – Don't Stop Me Now – was an especial success, with great costumes, and a flying carpet.

The whole show looked splendid, with oriental doorways, an impressive split-level cave, laundry in the foyer and glitter everywhere. And Tim had some formidable frocks, including a front-loader apron and a pvc number with designer detergent branding.

But though the pace was generally commendably slick, this Aladdin seemed uncertain how traditional it wanted to be: we had a gorgeous walk-down [after an interminable audience song] a sprinkling of topical and local references – nice to spot Jumbo among the landmarks glimpsed from the carpet ride – and a surreal hunting sequence. But loads of jokes went unnoticed by the windmill-waving audience, and many half-remembered opportunities were missed. Widdecombe the camel was under-used, there was a great red mangle, but no flat Wishee, and his “Swishy” banter was left to wither. Star Wars, and the martial arts slo-mo, left us similarly unsatisfied.

But there were plenty of happy moments: the Dragon Dance, the “Bonkers” running gag, the iPad for the birthday names, and the quick-fire intro to a perfectly timed Ghost routine.

“It's behind you ! - Who ya gonna call ?”

this piece first appeared on The Public Reviews