Aladdin At Lighthouse Poole Review
DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW
Reviewed by Anita Connor
This is a traditional telling of the pantomime story with great scenery to set the stage for a magical evening. There is the usual blend of slapstick, comedy, and well-known songs.
The audience were involved from the very beginning of the show, encouraged by Wishee Washee, played by Josh Haberfield and the Spirit of the Ring, played by Stephanie Walker. This role was meant to be played by Melinda Messenger but she is not now appearing due to a family health matter.
Benjamin Armstrong, a West End actor, makes his panto debut as Aladdin and Ionica Adriana plays opposite him as Princess Jasmine. They both have beautiful voices and it was delightful listening to their duets. There’s even a flying magic carpet in the scene when Aladdin rescues Princess Jasmine.
Professor Pocus, the villain of the plot, played by Andrew Pollard, was soon being booed by the audience of young and old. Andrew played the role with a different slant and was not too scary for the younger members of the audience. Alim Jadavji gave a magical performance as the Genie of the Lamp and was seen flying through the air – a moment of pure genius! Andrew and Alim gained a panto award last year as the Ugly Sisters in Cinderella and they are just as good this year.
Chris Jarvis from CBeebies, the writer and director of the show, stars in the main role of Widow Twankey. It is his fifth panto in Poole and this one definitely reflects the people of Poole and the surrounding area. The many beautiful costumes add to the magic of the show – one is a tribute to the RNLI who are based in Poole and are celebrating their 200th anniversary next year. Widow Twankey brings humour to the production and leads a traditional sing-along to the Twelve Days of Christmas. The young members of the ensemble are also to be commended for their performances.
The seats in the theatre are well tiered so everyone should have a good view of the action. The pantomime runs for 2 hours 15 minutes including an interval. There is a café and bar available for drinks, ice creams, sweets etc.
Tickets range in price from £15 – £47.50, the dearer tickets are for performances on the 23rd, 24th and 26th December. There are concessions available for senior citizens, students, ATL&L, under 18’s and Blue Light card holders. The show runs until New Year’s Eve. Audio described performances are on Thursday 14th and Wednesday 27th December, both at 6 p.m. BSL performances are on Thursday 14th December at 6 p.m. and Wednesday 27th December at 2 p.m. There is also a captioned performance on Wednesday 27th December at 6 p.m. The website is info@lighthousepoole.co.uk for booking tickets and further information.
On leaving the auditorium, I heard a Mum ask her young daughter what she liked most about the performance – she replied “everything”. That sums up a great pantomime!
Address of venue – Lighthouse Poole, 21 Kingland Road, Poole, BH15 1UG. The arts centre is opposite the Dolphin shopping centre and bus station. Poole station is a 10-minute walk away. There is parking in the surface carpark opposite the theatre and in the Dolphin shopping centre multi-storey car park.
Rating: 5/5.
https://www.lighthousepoole.co.uk/event/aladdin/
Definitely recommended for a fun and festive family outing.