Review: ALADDIN, Paisley Arts Centre
Aladdin runs at the Paisley Arts Centre until 5 January
Aladdin is the 35th pantomime production from the PACE Theatre Company and their first year back inside the refurbished Paisley Arts Centre for many years.
Aladdin is written and directed by Andy McGregor with original music and orchestration from Alan Orr. Paisley favourites Chris Alexander and Alan Orr lead the production as well with Alexander as Pattie McBotty and Orr as her hapless son Wipey McBottie.
Lauren Ellis-Steele plays Wilma the Wonky, she runs the town and the townspeople are in poverty due to her overprices taxes. It would be criminal to have Ellis-Steele on your pantomime stage and not give her some belting numbers but thankfully that is not the case here and we get several big songs from her.
Wilma's daughter Princess Rosie (Yana Harris) is a perfect antidote to the typical one-dimensional panto princess. When she meets Aladdin (Kai Ross) she's as keen to go on an adventure as he is and they work as a pair rather than a young woman needing a rescuer.
PACE is known for showcasing the talents of local young people and on this evening's performance it was team three that were on stage. While they are a welcome addition as the townspeople and royal guards, the stage is far too crowded. It's a supporting cast of 24 and the stage is far too small for it and at times you can barely see the stage design.
Controversially, I miss the years of having the PACE Theatre on the top floor of a shopping centre. The refurbished venue is beautiful but the pantomime has lost some of its charming chaos. The layout of the venue also meant that children further back didn't get as involved in some of the participation as ones down the front.
It's a talented cast and there are some good musical numbers making this a great family pantomime.
Photo credit: Mihaela Bodlovic
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