Aladdin - The Lowry (From This Is Cheshire)

Aladdin - The Lowry

9:00am Thursday 28th December 2006 in Theatre & arts By Christine Klabacher

IT was fitting that a pantomime with a scene set in a laundry should include so many soap stars in the cast.

Watching Aladdin at The Lowry, however, all thoughts of the alter egos of Bill Ward, Casey-Lee Jolleys and Cleveland Campbell floated away like bubbles from a wash tub within minutes.

This sumptuously staged production was a triumph, both for the hordes of youngsters raising the decibel count to pneumatic drill levels and grown-ups like myself, who hadn't revisited the panto experience for many years.

David Flynn as a super energetic Aladdin covered every centimetre of the stage several times over - how he managed to find the breath to sing as well is a mystery.

Meanwhile, Casey-Lee Jolleys, who played Orchid/Stacey in Coronation Street, unveiled a sweet singing voice as Princess Yasmin, the object of Aladdin's affections.

Cleveland Campbell, alias Emmerdale's Danny Daggert, found himself inside an antique as the Genie of the Lamp, instead of selling them for Rodney Blackstock. This particular genie was bang up to date with his street speak and iPod.

The traditional panto slapstick was provided ably by Keith de Winter as Widow Twankey and Jamie Greer as Mustapha, while Barbara Nice (Holy Mary from Phoenix Nights) gave the Slave of the Ring a large slice of down to earth northern charm.

There should be a special mention for the speciality act performed by circus trained Valerie Murzak, whose aerial acrobatics with a length of red silk thrilled the audience, and for the superb dancers - especially the cute as a button' tiny tots.

Now to the headline star himself, Bill Ward. As Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street, he is about to be murdered in a New Year Who Killed JR?' style plot.

Here, as Abanazar, he took the nastier characteristics of his soap creation and embellished the villainy with sweeping arm movements and booming voice.

My only small quibble is that the effect would have been so much more menacing had he been another six inches taller. Still, they do say that good things come in small packages!

Aladdin runs at The Lowry until January 7, 2007. Call 0870 111 2000 to book.