York Theatre Royal is back bigger and better as they bring us the magical tale of Aladdin, a piece of pantomime perfection.
It’s the classic story reimagined, as Evolution Productions do so fabulously – giving us the popular rag-to-riches arc, filled to the brim with all the much-loved pantomime chaos.
Terrible jokes, audience participation and a particularly memorable magical moment enabled us to embark on an unforgettable journey this Christmas.
Aladdin is at York Theatre Royal from Tuesday 3 December 2024 to Sunday 5 January 2025.
The theatre was looking fantastically festive last night as we were welcomed by the beautiful sounds of the York Theatre Royal Choir, and these festivities long continued as we entered the auditorium and saw the grand staging.
There’s spectacular work by Morgan Brind this year with the outstanding costume and set design, seemingly no expense was spared. Whether endless set changes, gigantic characters to meet or special effects to amaze the entire family, it felt like a new standard had been set.
What this pantomime has mastered is the quick-paced, fast-flowing action from start to finish. There was absolutely no room for you to think about your Christmas shopping or for the children to ask when they can finally have that interval ice cream – each song and scene alike flowed effortlessly into the next.
So who was our hopeless romantic… Sario Solomon embraced the title role as our cheeky chap Aladdin, equipped with a big heart, impressive vocals and debonair dance moves. His relationship with Princess Jasmine (Emily Tang) was sweet as sugar and their duets enabled their voices to blend beautifully.
Though, for me, it was Solomon’s relationship with his family that delivered comedic highlights; whether with his brother, our charming comic Charlie (Tommy Carmichael) or, of course, his mammy (Robin Simpson), who returns as our daring Dame Dolly.
And Hello Dolly! If Simpson isn’t tired enough from offering us the usual onstage mischief, I can only imagine his exhaustion is multiplied by the continual brilliantly bonkers costume changes. His audience interaction knows no bounds this year, especially for one audience member in particular, Adam, who was the unfortunate result of Dame Dolly’s ‘magnet of love’.
This year’s panto-victim was more than just a name in the crowd but soon became an honorary cast member. I would therefore heed a warning to avoid the front row unless you’d like a dabble in the dramatic arts.
The entire company offered boundless enthusiasm, including Cbeebies and CBBC star Evie Pickerill as our Spirit of the Ring, who offered us the exact peppy storytelling we’d wish for from a children’s TV presenter.
However, for me there was one undeniable star of the show: Rowan Armitt-Brewster as our beady-eyed PC World. He may have only made small cameos throughout the production, but there was certainly nothing small about his portrayal. Armitt-Brewster is no stranger to the York Theatre Royal stage and long may this continue.
This pantomime may have moved quickly but it certainly didn’t miss the fundamentals; the ghost bench made its grand return, and topical and local references flooded the script. But of course there were fresh new gags on offer and the ‘button scene’ or should I say lip-sync battle may have just been my favourite, excellently executed by the teams on and offstage.
And this music went strength to strength with a diverse soundtrack, offering something for everyone and often being foreshadowed by character names or location – ‘Born to Pun’ being an obvious favourite.
This year’s villain Ivan Tobebooed (Paul Hawkyard) had no escape as he offered unwavering energy to the ‘I Predict A Riot’ eccentric second act opener. The act one finale, ‘What You Want’ from Legally Blonde the Musical, was a theatre fanatic’s dream.
They even threw in a couple of megamixes to ensure that every audience member left with a guaranteed earworm. Director Juliet Forster and choreographer Hayley Del Harrison have done a wonderful job bringing fun and festivity to the stage, with a cast exuding talent.
Hop on board the magic carpet ride this winter, and book tickets for a Pantomime that is certain to make your Christmas wishes come true.
Aladdin is at York Theatre Royal until Sunday 5 January 2025. Tickets start from £15 and are available via the theatre website.