Review: Aladdin, UK Tour, at the Palace Theatre, Manchester
If you haven't already guessed, it is hosting Disney's Aladdin, which is off on its first ever UK Tour
I last saw the production in 2017 on its West End run, and it was one of the highlights of the year. Seven years later, and ten years since it began its run on Broadway (where it is still playing), it definitely warranted another hire of the magic carpet and a return to Agrabah.
And I have a more critical eye for it now than I did seven years ago.
Aladdin is the best Disney Theatrical show I have seen to take younger children to.
(That I have seen - still not seen Frozen yet...!) That is mainly down to the book. Chad Beguelin's book is full of jokes children will love, pop culture references, and with a touch of panto quality too. Jafar for example, is very panto-villain-esque. When you have that, plus Aladdin's three friends (replacing Abu) as comic reliefs on top of the Genie, it can get a little bit comic-heavy, and so won't quite be to everybody's taste.
However, the jokes aren't all a variety of bad, corny or cheesy, and are enjoyable for the young and young at heart.
Aladdin is also the most colourful show in the Disney Theatrical catalogue
From the moment Genie makes the curtain rise in Arabian Nights and we see the market place of Agrabah, the colours pop from the stage.
From Gregg Barnes' costumes, to Natasha Katz' lighting and Bob Crowley's set, Agrabah illuminates bright colours and jewel tones, making Aladdin a feast for the eyes, enchanting audiences with Disney magic.
And that's before the all tricks in the flashy Friend Like Me, or how they made the carpet fly in A Whole New World to gasps circulating around the theatre.
There was one thing though I cannot quite get past: how they did Iago
Like I said, there are a lot of comic reliefs in Aladdin - and in the film, Jafar's parrot sidekick is second only to the Genie himself in hilarity. In the stage adaptation however, Iago is now human, and is treated as a bit of a joke. This is no fault to Angelo Paragoso's performance. He had the audience in stitches. However, I cannot understand, how Disney Theatrical, with, let's be honest, all the money they have, could not have created a parrot puppet similar to how they did Zazu in The Lion King.
Out of a parrot puppet, Iago's lines would have worked so much better. And Paragoso would have nailed it!
I understood why Abu was ditched in favour of Babkak, Omar and Kassim (as they were Howard Ashman's original idea), and I get why Rajah was kept in his tiger cage. But turning Iago human was a huge mistake that should have been left in the Cave of Wonders for another 1000 years. If Disneyland could do it, Disney Theatrical could have too. Phew... I'm glad I got that off my chest
If there is one character all eyes are on though, it is the Genie
It is impossible to live up to what Robin Williams did in the original film. You have to make Genie your own. Ushe did that in spades. Having experience playing Lola in Kinky Boots, he had the pizzazz needed for the part, but also humour and heart. All eyes are on the Genie, even though the show is called Aladdin; Ushe stepped up the moment Aladdin rubbed that magic lamp.
In Agrabah, it is impossible not to have a good time
The reason why Aladdin is such a beloved film in the Disney catalogue is that is has a little bit of everything to suit everyone: humour, romance, adventure and lots and lots of magic. It is running at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until the beginning of July before continuing on its UK Tour. I may personally prefer other shows in the Disney Theatrical catalogue such as The Lion King, or Newsies but it is impossible not to have an amazing time while on that magic carpet ride.
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