| Dom Henry went to see Aladdin at the Theatre Royal |
 Ahh, its panto season! that wonderfully bonkers British tradition that blends childrens entertainment with cross dressing, music hall tradition and a dose of light smut. This year the Theatre Royal have put on their own celebrity toting show, and they’ve done well in the panto stakes with childrens TV mega star Basil Brush and Claire Sweeney in lead roles along with other named performers and folk off the telly.  It’s a big project to take on in house but they’ve put on a real banger of a show packed with all the crackers you might expect. Constant audience particpation, birthday wishes, sweet throwing, water pistols, embarassed Dad on stage, and more jokes about bottoms and underpants than a German tourist could cope with without having to sit down with a steadying glass of schnapps. The sets are bright, the gags are frequent and Christopher Biggin’s as Widow Twankey really makes the show with his knowing wit and stupendous dresses. The second half is better than the first, they put something in the ice cream perhaps, but it might have something to do with the pace being ratcheted up along with the number of routines. Basil Brush is as I remember him from childhood telly, an energeticlly cheeky dealer of dapper one liners, and was received with rapt attention and laughter from the assembled children.  One thing that I find a little disturbing is Claire Sweeney. Don’t get me wrong, she is great in her singing numbers and has a fine panto manner but its her buxom ways which seem a tad wrong. Got a problem with our Claire’s knockers? cry the scousers among you, no no no. It’s just the image of curvy Claire Aladdin getting it on with the curvy princess which I’m thinking about… for the children’s sake of course, what what Freud say? Well something about his mother no doubt, but you can see what I’m getting at, she’s not Keira Knightley.
Anyway I digress, it’s a fine old hoot is this. If you haven’t hit a panto this season then take your children along if you have any, if not go anyway. The two pissed up ladies in front of me seemed to be enjoying themselves and so was I. Aladdin plays at the Theatre Royal from Friday 8th December until Sunday 21st January 2007. Comment (0)  Send to friend  Print  Add to Facebook  Socialise
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