Review – Aladdin, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

The Whingers are seeing at least four pantos this year which won’t leave us time to write much; consider that our seasonal gift to you.

So, Southampton:

Despite the addition of a pointless sub-title and despite it being in Southampton, Aladdin, A Wish Come True is a winner.

There is top notch singing from S-Club 7’s Jon Lee as Aladdin and from Show Off Piano Bar‘s former Mistress of Ceremonies Marissa Dunlop-Biddle as Princess Jasmine

Big costumes, big sets. Richard Mawbey has constructed the wigs and there are bastardised versions of songs from Nine, Chicago and Take That,

Comedy policmen Ping and Pong turn in a pleasingly slick adaptation of “Who’s on first?“, the genie is a puppet and there’s a sensational magic carpet ride.

But most impressively of all, of course Lily Savage has been prised out of retirement to star as Widow Twankey and even gets to do a bit of her Marelene Dietrich impression (briefly).

All this in the beautifully restored 2,300 capacity 1928 Southampton Empire (sadly now renamed the Mayflower Theatre and the poorer for it).

There’s no slosh, no speciality act, no singalong, no sweet throwing. But you can’t have everything, not even in Southampton.

Rating

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