Last night we were invited over to St Helens Theatre Royal to watch their Christmas Panto, Aladdin. Those that have followed us for a while will know that we are huge advocates for St Helens and are forever recommending them as their Pantos are always incredible and Aladdin was no different.
The lineup was one of the best we have ever seen with two of our St Helens favourites, Lewis Devine who played Wishy Washy and Tim Lucas as the Genie. Both are funny in their own right but together they make for a hilarious double act with their cheeky one liners, silly dance routines and ability to go off script and bounce off each other, which left the audience crying with laughter.
Added to the mix are two well known actors, Liam Fox from Emmerdale who played Abanazer and Warren Donnelly from Shameless who takes on the role of PC Shamless. I always find it strange seeing people off the telly up on stage and think they both did amazingly performing live.
Aladdin was played by Alex Aram who had a great stage presence and brought a charm to the role that was loveable and worked extremely well alongside Jess Smith who played Princess Jasmine, my daughters favourite character of the night. Together they made for a very believable couple.
And of course no panto is complete without a Dame and this year Richard Aucott played Widow Twanky spectacularly. The hair, make up and outfits are ridiculous and will leave you wondering how each one can top the last but trust me it does.
St. Helens Theatre Royal is known for it’s big performances with a variety of elements added in to ensure their guests are left thoroughly entertained and this year is no different. First they had the interactive mirror which featured Leanne Campbell from Radio City as the genie of the mirror being played via a video link.
Then they they had the 3D experience.
During the second half you will be asked to put on your 3D glasses so you can truly experience a ride on Karen the magic carpet, just be warned it’s not a flight for the faint hearted.
It’s hard to believe that there is still more to mention from one show but along with the acting, interactive mirror and 3D experience there are also lots of fantastic songs and dances, my favourite being the Take That medley that had everyone singing and dancing.
This really is a panto that has it all, you don’t want to miss it.
Aladdin will be running at St Helens Theatre Royal from the 2nd December 2023 – 14th January 2024. If you are looking for a fun, festive, family treat then this is it, book your tickets today.
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