Aladdin was a crowd pleaser in Huntly
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FROM the moment the curtain lifted on Aurora’s pantomime, Aladdin, last Friday afternoon, the mainly young audience were completely engaged and their enthusiasm was completely justified.
Back on stage for a festive extravaganza for the first time since 2019, the cast was a mix of experienced performers and some making their debut but the quality of the show was absolutely first rate.
Lewis Moggach made a marvellous Widow Twankee – larger than life, colourful and with some great comic lines with his sidekick daughter Wishee Washee played by Ciara Adams.
Mallory Black playing Aladdin was the perfect innocent and youthful foil to the evil Abanazar, the very talented James Watt whose previous experience, treading the boards in the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh, is clearly a terrific bonus for the group.
There were some terrific special effects to herald the appearance on stage each time of the Spirit of the Ring, June Cranna and the Genie Lauren Macaskill – who were perfectly cast and brought so much experience to the show.
Kirsten Rennie made her panto debut as Princess Jasmine, alongside performers Peet Michielsen and Elizabeth Ingram as the Emperor and Empress – who brought comedy to her role in her quest to usurp the lovely Princess Jasmine.
Cast as the evil ‘Dave’ was Neil Bell-Forsyth who has made the journey from back stage in the early days of the company to centre stage in recent years and was so talented in the part he had lots of the kids hissing and booing as soon as he stepped on the stage.
An ensemble of eight dancers brought some magnificently choreographed routines onto the stage and with each passing show the quality of the dance routines seems to just get better and better – a real credit to director Hannah McGinmlay and her dance leaders.
Hugh Johnstone, who founded the group with Hannah is a phenomenal musical director and led a smaller than usual orchestra but the balance between vocals on stage and the music was the best yet with some great numbers including Jasmine’s If I were a Man solo and the Huntly Gurls take on Katie Perry’s number.
No performance of Aladdin would be complete without a flying carpet scene and Aurora’s did not disappoint. Who would have thought that audiences in the community hall in Huntly would experience such an extravaganza as Aladdin effortlessly was flown over them – the climax to a host of wonderful special effects, which along with a camel and stunning scenery made for just a brilliant show.
