Pantomime Review: Aladdin, Echo Arena Auditorium, Liverpool

Image Source:
Echo Arena Auditorium

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: December 16 2017
Location: Echo Arena Auditorium, Liverpool

We're just days away from Christmas now, which means that the panto season is well and truly in full swing now. The latest venue to launch its festive show is Echo Arena Auditorium, with their offering of the timeless tale known as Aladdin. ("Oh, no they're not!" "Oh, yes they are!")

The story of Aladdin is fairly easy to follow for kids and adults alike: Aladdin (played by Michael Auger, star of Collabro from Britain's Got Talent) and his daft family (his brother Wishy Washy, played by Mark Jones, and his mother Widow Twankey, played by Ruby Murry) are in Peking, where he encounters Princess Jasmine (the debuting Jessica Johann), much to the chagrin of her father who wants her to avoid falling in love with someone who lacks great wealth.

However, there is a chance for Aladdin to see his fortunes quite literally change overnight in the form of a magic lamp. There's a challenge, though: the evil Abanazar (Dean Sullivan) has travelled to Peking (not Cyprus) with his sidekick Slave Of The Ring (Leanne Campbell) to locate the lamp, and he is willing to use Aladdin as a pawn in his dastardly plan. Ultimately, Aladdin finds himself in jeopardy, and so it is down to the power of magic for him to not only escape these troubles, but to also make his financial and romantic dreams come to fruition.

Ruby Murry stole the show as the hilarious Widow Twankey with some cracking and occasionally off-colour jokes, along with a number of extravagant outfits (the best being an oversized Asda carrier bag, with dozens of additional regular Asda carrier bags forming a wig, and a huge tea table set-up dress) and a spectacular vocal rendition of Nessun Dorma. Speaking of singing, Jessica Johann demonstrated some great singing talents in her pantomime debut, and chances are that we'll be seeing a lot more of Jessica in the future based on her performance here.

Elsewhere, the special effects (which included a magic carpet for Aladdin) were very good, if at times a little overbearing when it came to the dry ice that covered the first few rows on more than one occasion. There was a lot of attention to detail with the backgrounds and the lighting, and the young dancers were clearly well-trained, with a couple of them delivering some priceless expressions during the extended dance routines. It took a little bit of time for the audience to warm to Wishy Washy but it eventually did happen, which led to some humorous moments of interaction. It was also Wishy Washy who controlled the scene towards the end where several children came on stage to sing Kung Fu Fighting (which had been sung by the main characters during the show), with one in particular (Oliver) having the crowd in stitches after giving some incredibly frank opinions about dating, specifically girls.

On the downside, the show was a slow starter, with many of the funnier moments coming in the second half. The acting felt a bit forced on occasion, and though some of the jabs at local areas were generally funny, a couple seemed unnecessary under the circumstances. Also, while I liked the way that the Genie was brought into the show, the dialogue was a bit weird, so the kids would have been baffled by what the Genie (voiced by Pete Price) was talking about. Still, there was a lot to like about this production, including some excellent musicians who played a vital yet understated role in moving the show along just in front of the stage, and the costumes as a whole were exceptional for every character, not just Widow Twankey.

To sum it up, Aladdin isn't necessarily the most Christmassy panto that you will see over the next few weeks, but it is a lot of fun, and it's a show that I'd definitely suggest that you bring the young 'uns to see.

Overall Rating: 8/10 - Very Good

Leanne Campbell & Dean Sullivan: "The Perfect Production For The Perfect Venue"

Image Source: The Guide Liverpool

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Aladdin will be bringing a ton of Christmas cheer to Echo Arena Auditorium this winter, and it looks set to be the best pantomime yet at Liverpool's big arena. Two well-known Liverpudlians with vastly different backgrounds, Leanne Campbell and Dean Sullivan, are playing starring roles in the production, and so we sat down with both to chat about Aladdin, their careers to date and the wonderful world of pantomime!

First of all, discuss your characters in the Aladdin production.

Dean Sullivan: Well, I'm playing Abanazar. It's a part that I've played around six times before, so if I haven't got it right by the time that this show happens, I'm in trouble! (Laughs)

Leanne Campbell: And I live in his ring! (Laughs)

Dean: She robs my ring twice daily! (Laughs)

Leanne: I live in his magic ring, and I bring the goodness into the panto!

Have you both been fans of pantomime?

Dean: I've been in pantos for a long time. You've been doing pantos for a long time as well, haven't you?

Leanne: Yes, since I was a kid, and always in Liverpool. Well, I've gone slightly outside, but never too far away, because when Liverpool comes up, you jump at it. The audiences are just wild, the kids are amazing ... I think it's a real part of Liverpool's heritage now. I grew up going to the pantomimes with my nan and grandad, and people have routines to go on the likes of Christmas Eve. They wouldn't dream of not going to the panto with their kids on Christmas Eve, as it's part of the tradition.

Dean: So, we are the ones who work the hardest over Christmas! Two shows on Boxing Day!

Leanne: This year, we've got a nice little run, we finish on Christmas Eve so you've gotta be quick and book your tickets, because it'll all sell out really quickly. It's a massive venue, but I think there's so much love, from the people involved this year who've done it so many times before. The people are coming to watch them, and we're part of their Christmas.

What are some of the more memorable pantomimes that you've contributed to in the past?

Dean: That's a hard one. I think I've done all of the pantos that there are to do, from The Sheriff Of Nottingham to Babes In The Wood, and as I say, I've played Abanazar about six times already. Also, two years ago in Stockport, I was offered the Dame. If you are involved in any pantomime production, you'll know that the Dame works really, really hard. You're never really off the stage much besides when you're in the wings, putting on your next costume. So, it was a very busy show; I never stopped. So, I played the Dame and I loved every minute of it, but it nearly killed me.

Leanne: Would you ever play the Dame again?

Dean: I would, because it's great fun to do, but you really earn your money. It's hard work, as you have a busy old time. As Abanazar, I spend most of the time in the dressing room, which is great; I put my feet up and have a glass of wine, reading the paper ... I shouldn't have said that! (Laughs) But with the Dame, you're on constantly, all of the time. You really do earn your money because you are busy. It was a great part to play.

Leanne: It's lovely. There's all of the classic roles like Cinderella, Snow White - the beautiful role to play. The costumes are gorgeous and you get to sing the sweet songs as well. But my character in this show, the Slave Of The Ring, is the funniest character. Hopefully, I'm going to bring a lot of Liverpool to it, a lot of what people already know about me on Radio City. If you listen to me there, you'll know my sense of humour, and it's going to be a good old laugh. It's like me and him, tongue-in-cheek, and every show will be a different show.

Dean: So book your tickets now!

Dean, what would you consider to be the highlights of your time in Brookside as Jimmy Corkhill, and of your career in television post-Brookside?

Dean: That's an interesting question. People used to say to me that you were there for 18 years, so why did you stay for so long in that one part? I used to say that it was because of the scripts and the storylines. My contract used to be renewed every 12 months, and I would say to Phil Redmond "What have you got coming up? What's going to happen to Jimmy?" And they would always be fantastic storylines.

The two highlights on Brookside were definitely the drugs storyline, which ran for many, many years and had lots of different aspects to it, and the big storyline towards the end of the show, which ran for a few years as well, which was the mental health storyline. Jimmy was diagnosed with bi-polar manic depression, and that was a very, very interesting part to play. I didn't know anything about it at the time, so I conducted a lot of research into it. I didn't know much about drugs either, so there was research involved in that storyline too. Essentially, when we were doing those hard-hitting storylines, we had a responsibility to get it right. I used to say that I was only acting it, but there are people out there who are living it. so you had a sense of responsibility to them to tell their story, and to tell it correctly and with respect. They were the two big highlights, but I loved all of my time there over the 18 years, and it went by just like that.

Since then, I've played a few different bits and pieces, but there's been nothing that has really grabbed me. I've often made guest appearances in shows like Doctors and The Royal. But unfortunately, in playing and creating such a big, iconic character, you're often making a rod for your own back, because a lot of people are then a bit frightened of casting you in another role because they think that you can only play that one particular part. And it's nonsense because you're an actor, and you can play any role really. But I can never be taken away; I'll be down in the television history books. I've got all sorts of awards at home for playing the part. So, it's been fantastic.

What other projects would interest you for the future?

Dean: I'm leaning now towards the directing side of things. I've directed an original show about the first World War poet Wilfred Owen. A friend of mine wrote all of the songs, and I directed them for a tour of the North-West, which was fantastic. I like being on the other side of it, and having the responsibility of a whole production.

Leanne, how did you break into radio, and what advice would you have for anyone reading this who would be looking to pursue a career in radio?

Leanne: Try and get an afternoon slot! (Laughs) Early mornings are killers. The advice would be to just go for it, but not necessarily down the usual avenues. I was a trained actress; I'd just filmed The Ward, I'd been off to London to train, I came back, and I was doing a play at the Royal Court when a gentleman waited for me at the stage door. He said that I'd built up a name for myself, as I'd played Annie at the Playhouse as a child, and people seem to know who I was, so could he introduce me to a career in radio? The answer was no, as I couldn't talk; was it a script or a play? No, I could just be myself. And it was scary, but it was the best thing that I've ever done, because I love it. It is exactly what I should be doing. To go down the same route that I thought I was supposed to be going down; sometimes, when you stray from that path, the best things happen. I went on to win a Sony award in London ...

Dean: Well, you are fantastic on the show!

Leanne: Oh, thank you! My tips, then, would be to just be yourself, don't try to be anybody other than yourself. Sometimes, you'll make mistakes, but that's just part and parcel of it. Just be you, and just be honest, and if people like you, then you're onto a good thing!

What are your thoughts on Pete Price scaling down his radio career?

Leanne: I think it's a great move for him. He's seventy-odd; I can't imagine myself being able to string a sentence together in my forties, never mind my seventies! The guy is a legend for doing it for as long as he has done and to still create a brilliant show. When he told me about it, I was like "It's good for you." It's got a retro feel to it for those who remember the heritage Radio City of vibe, and it was always on a Sunday night. I was guilty of doing the prank calls to Pete Price before I knew him; it's part of growing up, and now I'll happily encourage my kids to do the same! (Laughs) If he's only gonna be on on a Sunday, I'll just do one call so he doesn't know my number! (Laughs)

What is the difference between performing panto in a theatre and performing in an arena, as it will be in Echo Arena Auditorium for Aladdin?

Leanne: Well, it's in a theatre within an arena. So, it's going to have the same theatre vibe, it's not like we'll be plonked in the middle with the audience all around us; it's a real theatre set-up. It's a beautiful Auditorium, it's quite similar and like a larger version of the Floral Pavilion in Southport with the circular environment.

Dean: When I said to people that I was going to be playing the Echo Arena this year to star in Aladdin, they said "What, in the arena?" And I said no, it's got a separate, purpose-built theatre just like the Empire. the Royal Court and the Neptune (or the Epstein as it's called now).

Leanne: Disney have brought their children's shows here, I took my kids to see them, and it's the perfect venue for children. Especially if they're under 10, and if they're that little that they need to just have a little walk-about to stretch their legs, this is the perfect venue. So, if you've never brought your kids to the theatre before, for me this is the ideal place to bring those little ones. You can test the waters, see how they last and stuff. It's the perfect venue, and the perfect production.

Finally, what should the audience look forward to when they come to see Aladdin?

Leanne: Me and him! (Laughs)

Dean: It's a show packed with fun, songs and laughter.

Leanne: The music is outrageous, the sets are outrageous, the costumes are outrageous, there's magic for the children, funny moments ...

Dean: And you've got us!

Aladdin will fly into Echo Arena Auditorium from Friday December 15 to Sunday December 24. To book your tickets, click here.

Jessica Johann: "Everyone Is Really Excited For Aladdin"

Image Source: Twitter

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Aladdin will be flying into Echo Arena Auditorium this Christmas, and at the centre of it all will be Jessica Johann. A talented up-and-coming actress, singer and dancer currently studying at Liverpool Media Academy (LMA), this production marks something of a big break for Jessica, as she will be playing the part of Princess Jasmine, a much sought-after part which more than 300 aspiring actresses auditioned for. We spoke to Jessica to find out more about her role, her training and her future ambitions!

First of all, tell us about your character in Aladdin.

I'm going to be playing Princess Jasmine. She is the Princess who lives in this world with Aladdin, and eventually, she and Aladdin fall in love!

Are you a big fan of pantomimes yourself?

Oh yeah, of course! When I was younger, growing up, I would always come and watch the pantos in Liverpool, so I'm really excited to be a part of one!

The audition process sounded pretty tough in terms of numbers!

It was absolutely incredible! It was really exciting because there were so many amazing girls who were auditioning, and they were all really talented, so the pressure was on! It was a real competition, so I feel really lucky and I am very grateful that I was given the part.

How are things going with your studies at LMA?

It's going great! In LMA, we're always doing performances in the Epstein Theatre, in St. George's Hall and other venues. This is really, really good to get experience, especially when you are training. So, it's going really well!

What are your future ambitions within theatre?

Well, I hope to one day be performing on the West End or to eventually go into film and TV. I've got lots of dreams! I'm just working up to it, and we'll see what happens!

You'll be busy working in this pantomime production in the run-up to Christmas this year. Are you looking forward to Christmas more than usual for that reason?

All my family are so excited, and this panto is running up until Christmas Eve. So, once the panto is over, we're all going to celebrate and enjoy Christmas together, so it's going to be a very exciting December, definitely.

What other interests do you have outside of theatre?

Well, not much really! (Laughs) It's mostly theatre, but I have always loved dancing, singing and acting; they have always been my hobbies. I like art as well, and I like to paint sometimes. That's mostly what I do! (Laughs)

Will your family be coming along to see the show?

All of my family will be coming along to see me, definitely! They're all really excited. I'll have lots of friends from uni coming as well. So, everyone is really excited for the show.

Finally, why should people come along to see Aladdin?

I think that people should come along to see Aladdin because I don't think there is going to be a panto like it this year. The cast is unbelievable; we've got so many amazing people in this production. We've also got a flying carpet! I think it's going to be really exciting for the kids to watch, and for the family as well. It's gonna be a lot of fun, and you really don't want to miss out!

Aladdin will fly into Echo Arena Auditorium from Friday December 15 to Sunday December 24. To book your tickets, click here.

Aladdin

Image Source: Epstein Theatre

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Format: Pantomime
Genre: Comedy
Date: December 12 2016
Location: Epstein Theatre, Liverpool, England

The world has changed a lot in 2016, what with Brexit, Donald Trump becoming US President and the imminent demise of Deal Or No Deal (hey, I love the show). However, some things will always remain the same, and fortunately one of them is the annual tradition for Christmas pantomime. Amongst the top shows on offer this winter season is Aladdin, at the Epstein Theatre.

The latest panto production at the Epstein may just be its strongest festive offering yet, as the simple story is told with the addition of interesting characters, extended dance and song routines, and a huge amount of comedy. It is that humour, and the amount of genuinely funny lines and ad-libbed situations, which made this such a treat to watch.

Aladdin tells the tale of the character with the same name (of course), played by Sean Smith, as he looks to find true love in the form of a Princess, and there just happens to be one, Princess Jasmine (Natasha Hamilton) whose arranged marriage with an unknown groom is in the process of being arranged by her mother. The two eventually meet up, fall in love, and it's clear that wedding bells will soon be ringing.

But wait! The evil Abanazar (Tom Burroughs) is after the hand of the Princess herself, mostly for her riches, and it's the magic power of a mysterious lamp which holds the key for him to potentially achieve his goal. Cue all sorts of hilarious interludes, and the frequent appearances of several supporting characters such as Widow Twankey (Michael Chapman), Wishy Washy (Lewis Pryor), the Slave of the Ring (Mark Byron) and, since this is Aladdin, the Genie (Jordan Davies).

After many variations of a similar story regardless of what the show is, the LHK Productions team seem to have realised how to make the most of its positives and how to hide its negatives, because the humour in this show is the funniest yet in an Epstein production. Widow Twankey, played by writer Michael Chapman, is her usual over-the-top and innuendo-driven self, and it's hilarious to see Twankey run down the Genie/Jordan for his perceived lack of acting skills, noting how his celebrity status is the sole reason for him to be involved. But the unsung hero is Mark Byron, another name whose fame originated from reality television; by emphasising his accent and talking like someone off the street rather than the typical dialect that his Slave of the Ring character would normally use, many of his lines got the audience laughing, and in some cases it was just from the way he was talking rather than what he was saying.

Perhaps the highlights of the show were the moments of unexpected humour: an extended version of Twelve Days Of Christmas deliberately became a car crash on stage waiting to happen, but perhaps more than even the characters intended as the song was virtually stopped at one point due to more than one of the actors actually falling behind the curtain due to the break-neck speed of the number. It was clear that they were enjoying themselves just as much as the audience were. And the penultimate (and traditional) portion of the evening where Twankey (who humorously had an adapted version of "Frankie (do you remember me?)" to accompany her on stage) invited several young children to try and sing Old McDonald ended up being a truly memorable situation, as one kid decided not to sing, another belted out his lines incredibly loud, and all had their own mannerisms and behaviours contribute to a pretty funny sing-a-long session. Even Twankey couldn't hide the laughter during some of these performances.

Although the humour was a heavy aspect of the show, and a strong one at that, the music was good too. The stand-out musical performance came from Aladdin and the Princess joining to sing Whole Again; of course, with the Princess being Atomic Kitten star Natasha Hamilton, this felt more like a mini-concert than a panto rendition, and therefore was probably the strongest musical moment ever for an Epstein panto. The settings were also well-constructed to depict the likes of a haunted cave and Twankey's Launderette, and the costumes were well-crafted, if slightly less outlandish (at least for Twankey) than in previous productions. The special effects were very good, especially for a scene involving Aladdin on a magic flying carpet. There was also a nice acknowledgement at the end for Herbert Howe, a longtime panto contributor who passed away earlier this year, as well as a touching moment to invite everyone involved to contribute towards the Save Our Katie appeal.

Some minor negatives were the slightly amateurish transitions between scenes, which meant that the curtains separating the different backgrounds were a bit messy at one point (as in, you could almost see members of the crew walking behind the set during scenes), and the dark lighting was a little too dark when you consider the younger members of the audience. Also, though no fault of the production team, certain attendees seemed to be having too much of a good time, in a sense that some adults were acting far more childish than the kids at various points. However, none of these could even come close to spoiling a really entertaining night of panto.

Aladdin is the Epstein's best pantomime show to date, and one I would give the highest recommendation to for all members of the family.

Overall Rating: 9/10 - Outstanding

Liam Mellor: "Pantomime has got a really special place in my heart"

Image Source: LinkedIn

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: Liverpool Empire Theatre

Continuing our preview of Snow White this winter at the Liverpool Empire, we spoke to Liam Mellor, who plays Muddles in the show. Liam told us about who Muddles is and why people can relate to his character, as well as some of his other experiences and his love for theatre and pantomime ...

To begin with, how did you get involved in Snow White?

Well, I was here at the Empire last Christmas for Dick Whittington, and after the show finished, the producer rung me and said "Would you like to come back this year for Snow White?" And I was like, "Yeah!" It was as simple as that.

Tell us about your character Muddles.

Muddles is Snow White's best friend. It's normally the character that I play He's in love with the Princess, he never gets the Princess; it's just a character that's always up for fun and laughter, and love as well. But to be honest, the audience mainly fall in love with Muddles; that's the love I get back if I do my job right. I play my character like a child in a big body, like Jack (in the Robin Williams film). That's the way I play it, all childlike, and my humour is mainly for the kids. Obviously, there's stuff for the adults as well, but mainly I interact with the kids to keep them happy.

What would you say is your most unusual experience from participating in panto?

I don't like to write a lot of the comedy; I like to do off-the-cuff humour and see what happens with the audience. I do a lot of ad-libbing; just ask the cast! (Laughs) So, I like to go with the flow and see what happens. I've never had anything where anybody has reacted badly, but I did have one situation last year where we did Whip and Nae Nae and we teach the kids how to do it, and this one girl turned around and said to me "Eh! That's not how you do it! This is how you do it!" And she did it and was amazing, and I was like "I've just been mugged off here by a four-year-old!" But I like it when people give me stuff back; I like to have a bit of banter, because at the end of the day it's all fun and laughter. And I like the shows to stand out; I'm not a big fan of what we call cod corpses, where something is messed up but it was supposed to be messed up, but the audience doesn't know that. I don't like that; there's always a mistake that happens in every show, so I like to go along with that and then make a big thing out of it.

What are the other highlights of your theatre career?

Well, I'm also a writer; I write a lot of pantomimes over in St Helens. This is my 11th year in pantomime, and I've been doing it since I was 17. I also went to China with a pantomime last year for 3 ½ months with Aladdin, so that was a new experience for me; that was quite good fun. But I mainly do theatre and a lot of comedy, whether it's a comedy play or whether it's a pantomime; either way, I love theatre.

You mentioned the Aladdin show in China; did you have to tailor your performance a little differently given that you were playing to a new audience?

Yeah. Well, for me, I was lucky because over there they like a lot of visual humour, so they like a lot of slapstick, which is my favourite sort of humour anyway. Also, all of the lines were translated, and there were boards above the stage and to the side of the stage that translated the language. So sometimes you'd be there performing to them, and they're looking up to these boards, or they're looking to the sides at the boards. But I put in a bit of Chinese as well, which the translators did for us, so it helps break that barrier with the audience. So my first line was "Ni hao everybody!", which means "Hello everybody!" It's amazing because if I did that, I got a really big round of applause because you've spoken their language, which was really nice. The people were lovely, and they're really respectful to people over there, so it was good fun.

Do you have any future ambitions in theatre?

I will definitely not give up doing pantomime at Christmas for anything; no matter what I was doing, whether I got a TV role or a film role, I would make sure that I would always get to do a pantomime. My granddad took me as a child to watch pantomime every year at theatres in Sheffield, and that was a very special time for me. I always used to make my granddad wait and we would be the last people to leave just because I never wanted to leave. So, pantomime has got a really special place in my heart, no matter what I do or no matter what I might like to do. I've started writing pantomimes now, which is fantastic. I've also just become an executive producer for a company on their pantomimes which I love. But I'd never give up actually performing in pantomimes.

Finally, what can the Liverpool audience expect from Snow White?

They can expect the same as last year (in Dick Whittington) but with extra jokes, extra pizzazz, extra foolery; basically, everything x 100. They loved everything I did last year which I'm very grateful for, so this time I've got to bump it up and do even more, and then maybe they'll want me back the year after.

Snow White will be delivering festive fun at the Liverpool Empire from Saturday December 10 to Saturday December 31. To book your tickets, click here.