Aladdin

St Paul’s Players, Adlington Community Centre

Until January 5 2019

St Paul’s Players score again with this traditional family pantomime crammed with colour, choreography and corny jokes.

Director Graham Cohen has his finger firmly on the pulse with a mixture of traditional and modern songs performed enthusiastically by the talented cast and chorus, and commendable performances from the principals.

Lorraine Robinson’s choreography is superb, assisted by Pearl Williams, executed perfectly by a host of young dancers, one highlight being the routine complementing the musical number leading into the interval. The production is greatly enhanced by the dazzling costumes, provided by Lisa Williams, Lisa Cohen, Jane Harrison and Judith Armstrong, particularly the colour co-ordinated sparkly dance outfits to denote emeralds, rubies and diamonds.

Stage management by Steve Blundell and team is, as usual, seamless and imaginative, including a wonderful backdrop depicting the outside of the cave, an atmospheric cave interior complete with twinkling lights,and a very convincing palace, high street and laundry. All credit to the talents of Scenic Artist Howard Bates.

Properties ­— Lily Blundell and Lily Armstrong ­— are spot on, and there is a very funny sequence in which Widow Twankey decides that Wishee Washee needs a wash, very well executed.

As for the principal cast, Dax Owen is hilarious as Widow Twankey, flirting with and insulting the audience in equal measure. He is ably complemented by the idiotically comic Wishee Washee, Gareth Mabon, who wins the audience over on his first entrance. Rob Armstrong supplies a deliciously villainous Abaneezer ­— again interacting perfectly with the enthusiastic audience ­— Siobhan Edge is great as the Empress, mixing imperious standoffishness with comical one liners, and comic duo Yu-Dun-Wong and Hu-Dun-Pong performed by Leanne Romney and David Greenfield, keep the kids laughing with their slapstick humour.

Robyn Burns leads the cast well as principal boy Aladdin, combining well with Emily Baron as the virtuous Princess Mandarin to provide the romantic interest – their duet from “The Greatest Showman” is lovely to hear. Good support comes from Rebecca Hilton as charming handmaiden So-Shy, Debbie Leyland as the wistful Spirit of the Ring, and Harry Cohen as a very camp Genie of the Lamp.

All in all, this is a great show well worth a visit to brighten up your new year.

Remaining performances are Friday, January, 4 and Saturday, January 5.

Peter Haslam