To take on a stage adaptation of Disney classics is no easy feat. Waiting for the interwoven carpet tapestry to drop, I felt anxious: As a movie studio, Disney movies are inherently magical, filled with euphoria and excitement. 32 years on from the film, the theatre adaptation of Aladdin addresses the magic head-on, with brilliant force, and shows why it is worthy of a reproduction to stage.
Credit: Disney’s Aladdin, Mayflower Theatre
Firstly, Yuekayi Ushe stunned as the Genie. To fill the boots of Robin Williams is a seemingly impossible effort, yet Ushe takes it in his stride and delivers one of the most captivating on-stage characters I have ever seen. Quick, flamboyant and sarcastic, his quick wit brought abrupt, sharp commentary throughout the show. You were always left guessing- I dont think anyone in the audience were anticipating a Strictly Come Dancing dance routine in the middle of his performance of ‘Friend Like Me’. No wonder he was on the
Credit: Disney’s Aladdin, Mayflower Theatre
receiving end of the biggest round of applause at the shows close. A magnificent performer and a true asset to the cast.
All of the intrinsic elements of the core Aladdin story were there- A magic carpet ride, which sees Aladdin (Gavin Adams) and Princess Jasmine (Desmonda Cathabel) suspended in mid-air in an illusion of light and animatronics, held up the production midpoint to ensure that the play was consistently intriguing throughout its two and a half hour runtime- painted against the backdrop of a starry night, the two soared through the air whilst singing arguably the most iconic of Aladdins musical catalogue, ‘A Whole New World’. New additions however, such as ‘Proud of your Boy’, were also welcome. Written around Aladdin’s character, the song deals with narratives
Credit: Disney’s Aladdin, Mayflower Theatre
of pride surrounding his manufactured appearance as a prince, adding a well needed human dynamic to a character which, in the film, gets so lost. It played on a new, softer side of his character which could only have been explored by song. With numerous reprisals, it seemed as if the song’s more reflective content was the foundational point of his character- a touching addition to a setlist packed with classic Disney songs.
There were some revisions for this adaptation. Notably, Iago, portrayed by Angelo Paragoso, comes across as more of a court jester than the parrot we are familiar with. He beckons to every demand that Adam Strong’s Jafar makes, yet applies a whimsical edge to the more sinister moments in the play, such as his overlaying of a high-pitched cackle over Jafar’s evil laugh. Moreover, Abu, Aladdin’s monkey companion, is absent. However, it took me until after the show to notice. Abu is replaced by three of Aladdin’s friends: Kasim (Nay-Nay), Omar (Adam Taylor) and Babkak (Nelson Bettencourt), who add a dimension of camaraderie. Locked away in the tower with Aladdin after trying to rescue him from the grip of Jafar, their characters play on notions of friendship, love and ethics as they scheme their way through the plot. Notably, Babkak’s obsession with food, highlighted rhetorically through wordplay that turned anything that remotely sounded like food into food, was a poignant way of addressing issues of wealth in a way that covered the reality beneath, opting for humour over hunger.
Credit: Disney’s Aladdin, Mayflower Theatre
The set design was wholly immersive. The audience were fully gripped by the scenery of Agrobah, whether it be palace or marketplace. The most impressive moment of the night however came as Jafar was appointed Sultan by the Genie. Two costume changes, 30 seconds apart, that saw his outfits turn from black to white to red, with no stage covering or evident way of changing. The outfits simply dropped, headwear changed colour as if by the flick of a switch and the audience were left wondering just how he had done that in open-air. That, I suppose, is the magic of the theatre.
Disney’s Aladdin plays at the Mayflower between September 6th and 29th.
Credit: Disney’s Aladdin, Mayflower Theatre
