Panto returns to Sutton Arts after a three year break with  a record breaking sold out run. Harriet Gordon stars as Aladdin giving the role, style, pizzazz , and a fine singing voice.

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This is on of my favourite pantomimes. A bumbling comic Wishy washy is essential and  James Hutt as her brother  delivers the goods in endearing spades. The other essential is a good Dame. Here we haves Aladdin’s mother,  Widow Twankey, played by Paul Atkins with  a pleasingly idiosyncratic characterisation. He plays it pretty straight as a man in a dress with innuendo at a minimum eschewing drag queen excess.

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Sutton Arts theatre is physically quite small, with stage facilities strictly limited. The band play from the bar! But stage designer mark Nattrass pulls off a convincing colourful set as well as playing emperor and air traffic controller, marshalling a commercial Jet 2 flight through the auditorium.

The Princess’s servant  LaLa  steals the show in the comic stakes with her romancing Wishy Washy. Princess Jasmine,  Evie O’Malley is suitably resolute in the face of  Abanazar’s evil. The ubiquitous whole new world of a magic carpet ride, probably obtained on the Soho Rd Handsworth is a showstopper.

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I have played the role of Abanazar myself, and it is a wonderful part which Dave Thane does full justice to opposite his nemesis Jerome Pinnock-Glasgow as the Genie with the ensemble behind. Husband and wife team Dexter and Emily Armstrong  direct a large 25 strong cast who are disciplined, talented and entertain. The three children in my party aged ten, nine and eight loved it.

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Aladdin rubs his lamp  to 20-12-25..