REVIEW: Disney’s Aladdin at Mayflower Theatre

Let’s spend an Arabian Night in…       Southampton?

‘Disney’s Aladdin’ has made its way onto Mayflower Theatres stage and in the biggest possible way. Now ‘Aladdin’ is both a character and story that needs no introduction. Most famously known from Disney’s 1992 animation, and 2019 live action remake - there’s really no surprise that Disney took this classic folk tale from the big screen to the stage. Debuting on Broadway in 2013 before going global just a year later, ‘Aladdin’ has been seen by over 15 million people world-wide and is already the 10th highest grossing Broadway musical of all time. And it’s clear to see why. I always worry about musical adaptations of movies, but when the original movie is basically already a musical, or if it’s made by Disney - there’s really nothing to worry about. The energy is elevated, the music and score is elevated, its real Disney magic in front of your eyes!

If you’re a fan of the movies and are yet to see ‘Aladdin’ on the stage, you’re definitely missing out. It features all of your favourite songs; ‘Friend Like Me’, ‘Prince Ali’, ‘A Whole New World’ - but with some twists that I think are certainly welcome. With the story of Aladdin also being very popular for pantomimes, I was worried that this could potentially feel cheap or overly cheesy at times. Cheap absolutely not. Cheesy? At times, but no more than any other Disney story. It’s just genuine fun for the whole family. It feels nostalgic but also fresh.

The cast? Shining, yes. Shimmering, yes. Splendid, yes. Perfectly cast, YES! This cast was just fantastic. I remember saying that the whole company could have been picked straight from up from either of the movies or even a Disney park. They all bought the energy and really helped bring the story to life. Gavin Adams played the title role of ‘Aladdin’, and his look and voice were Aladdin all over. He literally embodied that role, as did Desmonda Cathabel as ‘Jasmine’. Her voice was effortlessly flawless, and their stage presence together was just beautiful. Adam Strong and Angelo Paragoso as ‘Jafar & Iago’ were the perfect comedy bad-guy duo. The laughs they got filled the auditorium and they tread the line between Broadway and pantomime perfectly. But nobody quite filled the auditorium with as much noise as the brilliant Yeukayi Ushe in the iconic role of ‘Genie’. Singing, dancing, acting - all incredible. A performance that Robin Williams himself would have been proud of. I hope he has a spare shelf ready because I won’t be surprised if some awards head his way very soon. The whole ensemble were fabulous, and a special shoutout needs to go out to Nay-Nay, Nelson Bettencourt, and Adam Taylor who played the hilarious three-way of ‘Kassim, Babkak, & Omar’. It doesn’t matter if you have or haven’t seen ‘Aladdin’ yet, this cast is a must see! Bravo!

The set was magnificent. It screamed both Broadway and Disney, in both scale and impressiveness. The moving, physical set pieces added so much that we see modern musicals use screens or projections for. The ‘Friend Like Me’ sequence within the Cave of Wonders was amazing. It showcased the size of the cave, but at the same time the sparkle of gold and magic of the Genie (no spoilers!). This is also the scene where we first see some real Disney x theatre magic, and it just gets better from this moment onwards. As for the flying carpet, you just need to see that for yourself. I do need to mention that a lot of scenes happened in a small space in front of the curtain. I understand that this is to allow for those big scene changes, but in my opinion, this is what made it feel pantomime-y. Having said this, it doesn’t take away from the overall production value, as projections and mapping used on these screens were actually surprisingly good. The lighting design also makes you feel as if you’re in a movie but also at a concert at the same time. And finally, we can’t talk about design without a big mention to costume designer, Gregg Barnes, because wow! Those costumes were gorgeous!

The music and score were also pin-point perfect. The original soundtrack you know and love mixed with a few original songs that were cut from the 1992 movie was a perfect mix. And I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again; there aren’t many things that can elevate a musical like a live orchestra. Conductor/Musical Director, Dave Rose, was amazing! The orchestra didn’t hold back from the prelude all the way to the curtain call. I can just guarantee that I’ll be humming or tapping along to that soundtrack playing on repeat in my head all week. A big difference to the movies was the elaborate dance breaks within a lot of the songs. This comes with extra pieces of score that all just slot together beautifully.

This is definitely a fun musical for the whole family. The design is incredible, the story is classic, and it truly is a bit of magic live on stage. I still can’t get over how well this production has been cast. The show genuinely transports you from wherever you are or whatever you’re doing, right into the centre of Agrabah. There could’ve been so many easy shortcuts to take for this musical but that just isn’t the Disney way. After seeing Disney productions like ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Frozen’, it could’ve been very easy for ‘Aladdin’ to stay in their shadows - but I actually think it could outshine them all. The energy levels were high, the laughs keep on rolling in, and not once did the show begin to feel like it was dragging (a big bug bear of mine). Seen by over 15 million people worldwide? Yeh, that’s definitely going to increase!

If you would like a friend like Prince Ali and the Genie, they are at Mayflower Theatre until September 29th so make sure to get your seat on the magic carpet ride. If I had 3 wishes, one of them would be that I get to see this incredible cast again, and I’ve already bagged my tickets for that! If you’re a big fan of ‘Aladdin’, you’ve not seen it properly until you’ve seen it on stage. It truly is a whole new world. So go on, rub that lamp and I’ll see you there…