Review: Aladdin, Stag Theatre, Sevenoaks

by Helen Geraghty

A sumptuous oriental world of rich colours and stunning song-and-dance routines awaits at this cracking festive night out for all the family.

There’s a very tight team of hilarious family entertainers who have become the stalwarts of the Christmas offering at this theatre.

Add to that heady mix the well formed torso of Boyzone’s Shane Lynch as baddie Abanazar, pictured, and you have a truly winning formula.

My kids and their hard-of-hearing great aunt all loved the clearly delivered and impeccable comedy of panto dame Robert Pearce, who plays Widow Twankey, and his side-kick, the high-octane Ant Payne.

This gang know just what works every year, like their hilarious “we’ll have to do it again then, won’t we!” ghost routine, and are adding to it each time.

The audience here have also seen Jasette Amos before, but this year, playing two alternating genies and with some really good songs to sing, she was better than ever. A huge voice to truly raise the rafters.

There were dancers with mandarin collars and endless legs as well as tiny tots dressed as Chinese rice-pickers who couldn’t put a foot wrong.

There was dancing in the aisles too, as the cast joined Shane Lynch to perform Boyzone’s Picture of You, complete with original dance routine.

And with prices for next year’s panto frozen till the end of January, one thing is certain: “We’ll have to do it again then, won’t we!”

Aladdin runs at the Stag until Sunday, January 6.