Written by Eloise for Theatre & Tonic

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review

Aladdin at The Orchard Theatre West is a traditional panto through and through – full of electric choreography, a fantastic youth ensemble, and a sprinkle of up-to-date jokes for both adults and kids. (Yes, there was a 6/7 joke, and yes, the kids in the audience went wild throughout the whole next number.)

First things first, the show is not at the Orchard Theatre – it is in a temporary structure called The Orchard Theatre West, slightly around the corner. This can be difficult to find as the signs go dead soon after the original theatre, which is going through renovation. Follow the big white tent – and a steady flow of excited kids with light up wands – and you’ll be fine! I was worried at first at how this structure would work as a theatre, but I was very pleasantly surprised – it is warm, there is a full working bar, plenty of toilets, and the auditorium in its current set up can seat 900 people! The acoustics are also great, and you forget you’re in a tent structure rather than the traditional theatre. I believe events at The Orchard Theatre will be held here until mid-next year, when renovation is predicted to end.

Pantomimes are not known for their stories – and if you’re looking for Aladdin and Jasmine flying on a carpet – you will be disappointed. Jasmine (Ruby Mann) is the rich daughter of the town’s Councillor Chigwell (Antony Costa), who wants to escape to the streets to have fun, and Aladdin (Cleve September) is the cheeky son of the local washerwoman, Widow Panky (Jason Marc-Williams). The two lack chemistry, and Jasmine has a distinct lack of stage time in comparison to Aladdin. Although both Mann and September have wonderful voices, they don’t capture the audience as the two star-crossed lovers, Aladdin and Jasmine, are written to be. If your kids are looking for a princess to adore, unfortunately, Jasmine’s character lacks charisma or the agency of a modern woman who can look after herself – she slips into the damsel in distress far too easily.

However, your kids will adore Franky Panky (Rikki Jay), the pantomime comic and brother of Aladdin. Jay is clearly in his element here – cracking jokes for both the adults and the kids. The audience reaction from the younger members was electric for Franky (“Waka Waka Kids!!” Waka Waka Franky!!”) and perfectly complimented the darker, more adult humour provided by the pantomime Dame, Widow Panky, who was brilliantly portrayed by Jason Marc-Williams. The two work excellently as a mother-son duo, as well as individually.

The day before the performance, I watched, Linda Robson unfortunately had to pull out of the show due to illness. She was speedily replaced by Antony Costa – who the day previous was in India performing with Blue! He only had the day to rehearse with the cast and absolutely pulled it off. With some generous guidance from Widow Panky, Costa’s incredible voice, and an aptitude to adapt and be silly – Costa thrived in his first show with less than a day’s rehearsal.

The set was impressive, immersive, and traditional. However, the sound had some teething problems – having to restart one of the first numbers three times. I have to give huge credit to the ensemble cast here – especially the juniors, who remained extremely professional and kept the scene alive whilst the technical difficulties were resolved. Sound related difficulties continued throughout the performance, with many microphones not being turned up at the right time, and odd effects being added at the wrong time.

Overall, if you’re an adult or a kid – you will have a fun time at Aladdin. The cast, on the whole, are wonderful and give larger than life performances. The choreography (Katherine Iles) is smart and performed slickly by the ensemble cast. And the vocals are beautiful (special mention for including Golden, which was very much an audience favourite). However, if you’re looking for something a little bit more polished, with protagonists that will inspire your kids – this may not be your favourite pantomime of the season.

Aladdin is running from the 13th December 2025 to 4th January 2026.

★★★

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