Aladdin – Bradford Alhambra
This classic tale of a poor Arabian boy given three wishes by a Genie in a bottle so he could woo a princess was perfect for an Oscar winning Disney animation, and let’s be honest an obvious choice for a stage production.
It’s not surprising this high energy show had been seen by 15 million people worldwide as it cunningly melded 1950s musical tropes with a knowing and often funny book by Chad Beguelin, where the Princess was a feminist, and the old order came under threat. But if you didn’t want any subtle subtexts, then you could just wallow in a warm heated show full of extravagant sets, and some big numbers.
The tone was set from One Jump Ahead as Kerry Spark’s streetwise Aladdin jumped around a street market as a big ensemble danced around him. After a slightly shaky start...