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Set in Ancient China, the classic story of Aladdin, a peasant boy in love with the beautiful princess, is given a ‘Wok’ and roll twist with corny jokes and recognisable fun loving songs.
The usual Widow Twanky spot was filled by Julian Harries, a man who has taken on this well-known role and has succeeded without little difficulty. Other impressive cast members included Johnson Willis, whose performance as the antagonist character Abanazar had me cowering in my seat as he made his way through the audience. Shirley Darroch as the rather green genie provided us with some powerful vocals, but special mention must go to Francesca Loren who managed to stay in her Nanas the Monkey character throughout the entire performance, even whilst playing a trumpet. You’ll be amazed by the amount of talent the New Wolsey has collected.
Songs included classics known to people of all ages including, ‘Wild Thing’, ‘I’m a Believer’ and ‘Dancing in the Street’. These songs were full of energy and had us all singing along and on our feet by the end.
At the first sight of the stage, my companion instantly declared that she wanted to become a set designer, and she definitely had reason to be awed by the brilliant job done on the set this year. Vibrant reds and greens certainly made the stage seem alive, as well as being beautiful.
The New Wolsey’s Christmas shows are always a treat, and this year definitely met the high set standards. My recommendation for this year’s pantomime goes out to everyone with a heart and a fun sense of humour. A constant smile on your face is an inevitable factor of this fun-filled night out.
Lori Thurston
Sudbury Upper School
1st December 2009
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