Aladdin – The Palace Theatre, Manchester

Music: Alan Menken

Lyrics: Howard Ashman/Time Rice/Chad Begeulin

Book: Chad Bageulin

Director/Choreographer: Casey Nicholaw

Hot on the heels of Hamilton, The Palace Theatre welcomes another musical making its home in Manchester for an extended period. Aladdin’s seven week residential will attract families from all over the region to delight in this Disney favourite. Taking a magic carpet ride with Aladdin and Princess Jasmine or rubbing a magic lamp to release a genie is about as Disney as it gets and this production gets the full treatment.

With stage adaptations of The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast and Frozen behind them, Disney know how to produce big budget spectacles. Aladdin is no exception. It exudes in everything. With an acting company of over thirty, a full band and an extravagance of scene and costume changes it is a production that does scrimp. From the very first number, Arabian Nights, the stage is awash with vibrant colour. From bazaar and marketplace to palaces, caves and the twinkling night sky there is the full Disney magic thrown at this show. It is a feast for the eyes as much as for the ears.

Street scrounger Aladdin (Gavin Adams) falls in love with the disguised Princess Jasmine (Desmonda Cathabel), who is ruled by her father, the Sultan (Jo Servi). Not allowed to marry who she chooses she is locked behind palace walls pining for a future where she might be happy. Meanwhile, Jafar (Adam Strong), with desires to become the Sultan himself identifies Aladdin as the ‘diamond in the rough’ – a chosen one to recover a magic lamp from inside the cave. The story is well-known and has been a staple of pantomimes for generations. It is perhaps this familiarity that gives this production a panto feel. There are enough ‘baddie laughs’ and front of cloth shenanigans between Jafar and comic foil Iago (Angelo Paragoso) to fool you into thinking a shout of “he’s behind you” might not jar too much. That said, the aesthetics of the show are taken directly from the 1992 animated version. It looks incredible. Bob Crowley’s scenic design and Gregg Barnes’ costume design are out of this world. The Palace Theatre is used to housing big shows but the real magic in this show is just how the set changes are achieved in the blink of an eye.

The show is a dancing sensation. The ensemble is extremely busy and hardly ever off stage. From marketplace sellers to royal guards via courtesans and backing dancers to the genie they have inexhaustible costume changes and bottomless energy. In the lead role a young Aladdin (Adams) proves he has the vocal ability in spades early in the show with Proud of Your Boy. Similarly, as Princess Jasmine (Cathabel) does not disappoint singing perfectly in A Million Miles Away and A Whole New World. The magic carpet ride is about as magical as stage theatrics can produce. The children in the audience gazed in wonder and although the adults most likely knew how the trick is achieved, the marvel is enough to immediately suspend belief.

The star turn of the show is, of course, The Genie. Trapped in a lamp for 10,000 years is enough for any performer to steal the limelight. Yeukayi Ushe is a mixture pizzazz and sass crossed with an excitable puppy and he is sensational. It is a little unfortunate that the show takes its time before we meet him because when we do the whole show goes into a different gear. Friend Like Me, shortly before the interval, is a routine so elaborate it matches the bejewelled cave it is set in. It is by far the highlight of the show and worth the ticket price alone.

This is very much old school Disney. A faithful stage recreation from the beloved animated film it will hugely please the families familiar with it already. Although a musical, there is an awful lot of dancing in this show. The ensemble are incredible performers with the tightest of choreographic synchronicity. As a result, the acting can be a little wobbly at times and the plot does feel pantomimic. However, the spectacle of the show itself is so overwhelming these minor flaws can be forgiven.

Runs until 7^th July.