"Aladdin" by Ben Crocker (7-11 Dec 2021)

Poster

Hello, hello, hello and Welcome to St Michael’s Players’ world-famous panto.  We’ve missed you so much and hope you are ready for another magic carpet ride through one more of Ben Crocker’s fantastic scripts.
It’s been such fun preparing Aladdin for your delectation; especially all those panto traditions that we’d almost forgotten.  Luckily, our panto genie polished everything into shape, ready for a showstravaganza of fun and merriment in each other’s company.

How about you? Here’s your refresher quiz, just in case:
Q1   Where’s the bar?                                It’s behind you!
Q2   Oh no it isn’t?                                            Oh yes it is!

Now panto would not be panto without you; our incredible audience.  So, strap yourself in and let’s hear your cheers and booze (spell check? Ed.) as we speed into Christmas 2021.              Chris

Reviews
"Brilliant!! Best panto ever!" Jacquetta P
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"Enjoyed it, well done to the cast and director. Great to have such current jokes included" Margie P

​"​Thank goodness live Panto is back and with the best of the lot; St Michael’s Players production of Aladdin. From the goodies to the baddies, the ensemble, the band and even the talking snake - it was excellent and everything you should expect from this joyous troupe. Get your tickets now, join the fun and get that awesome genie out of the bottle! Brilliant and well done gang" Adrian E

"'Thanks' to the whole team of St Michael's players for all their obvious hard work on 'Aladdin'  'Hurrah!'...they achieved the goal of cheering us up into the festive season with all the traditional high jinks and excellent clap-along musical numbers accompanied by a proper band. Included are a sassy princess and Aladdin, some truly groan-inducing jokes, a satisfyingly sleazy baddie, a dame that succeeded in teetering just the right side of totally bad taste and instead of a camel, a cute monkey. As a foray into the real 3D world of entertainment, what's not to like??

Enjoy the rest of the week..."
Sheila C

"​It was indeed a fabulous show - bravo !!!!" Maddy H

"Was so good 👏🏻🎄" Jess G

"One of the best I've seen I think, Good cast!" Nick L

"Your panto Aladdin was fabulous!!" Vicki N

“I thought that everyone was AMAZING this evening. You (Gertie) especially were funny and maybe a little rude (in a good way of course). Everyone blew my mind, like a storm.
Just absolutely amazing as always and I’m happy that I get to volunteer at St Michael's Players; it’s really fun, the look on everyone’s faces made me really happy and I couldn’t be any more happier.” Audrey S

A summary of various feedbacks:
Mrs. Smith, someone else who praises begrudgingly, thought the play was great. She found the script weaker than normal but that we pulled it off. She particularly pointed out how good “the person who plays Aladdin” is and that Alastair was born to be a pantomime baddie! (And, yes, that report includes ALL her comments on my performance! ) My friends last night LOVED it. “I laughed all the way through”, “I didn’t want it to end”, “the slapstick scene was hilarious”, Fazil and Genie of the Lamp got a particular mention, as did Jasmine.

Oh, and when I pointed out the director, one said “Really? We assumed he had never seen it before: he was laughing non-stop, as much as anyone”.  Various

It was an amazing show! I’m sure the others will also be fantastic! Alison M

"Well done all! It really wouldn’t be Christmas without the St Michaels’s Players’ panto and Aladdin was brilliant, we laughed all the way through, loved all of it and particularly enjoyed the bang up to the minute ‘fictional Christmas party’ joke! Last night was heartwarming and we really felt it in the audience. We’ll be back next year." Trish B

“Thanks again for the great night. I enjoyed last night more than I’ve enjoyed the big ones with Paul O’Grady & the like.“ Tony T

"Well done with the Panto. Might be the best ever. Such a strong cast." Simon H

"We loved it yesterday. Had soo much fun. You were all amazing" Kirsten K

"the show exceeded all expectations. It was fabulous in every way.  We are so glad that we heard about it from a member of the cast and ventured into Chiswickia to see it.  We could see that everyone on stage, in the band and behind the scenes were also having a great time.  We wish you a happy last two nights and then a very merry Christmas.  Looking forward to the panto in 2022" Carole M

"Fantastic evening last night - really enjoyed it and so did the family. Many congratulations to the cast, the crew and the band, a great night out and a lot of fun"  Julia W

"This is a heart-warming production: joyful, with lots of familiar songs and great performances. Beautiful costumes and great audience participation. If you haven't seen St Michael's Players' panto you really should: this is the template for others to follow. Covid-dispelling charm!" Una-Jane W

What makes the panto so great is of course going with good friends and neighbours to see good friends and neighbours entertain us all. Thanks for a fabulous fun evening.” Jane H

"A great show" Nick L

"It was all fabulous and a great team effort, extra special this year" Elizabeth O

"​Congratulations all! Xx" Louisa B

"It was fabulous! Well done all" Gloria M

"Excellent production of Aladdin last night. Huge congratulations to director Chris (the one in that Christmas suit!) for putting it together and of course to all the cast, band and backstage crew. You certainly put the audience in the festive spirit"  Gerry (the one in the same old Christmas jumper!)
"Seconded" - Christine T
"Thirded" - Neil C

"Well done everyone. Saw it last night it was wonderful and fantastic to see SMP panto on stage again. 😘😘😘" Jane A

"Brilliant evening... well done everyone. Really enjoyed it!" Martine O
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"Best ever" Robin E

"Thoroughly enjoyed the panto on Friday.  Sensible to go for lots of ensemble singing and some great tunes there!  Compliments to the cast." Linda W

“What a fantastic evening… so much fun - we didn’t stop laughing”
Andrew and Gina M

“What a fabulous evening we had… It was absolutely what we all needed! Great show and thank you St Michael’s Players"
Chris and Linda H

Programme
2021_aladdin_programme.pdf
File Size: 527 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Pictures

Watch Again

Cast

Abanazar (Alastair Dewar)
Genie of the Ring (Rachel Fay)
Sidney (Guy Fairbank)
Bibi (Jo Harry)
Aladdin (Anny Hooker)
Princess Jasmine (Georgina Parren)
Gertie (Paul Smith)
Fazil the Psychic Snake (Elizabeth Ollier)
The Empress of Chiswickia (Arabella Harcourt-Cooze)
Doris (Christine Lee)
Genie of the Lamp (Rosie Copping)
Chorus as Citizens, Bazaar Stall Holders, Guards, Mummies, Abanazar’s Guards and Servants etc. (Sue Darrieulat, Christine Lee, Rachel Fay, Elizabeth Ollier, Johana Nikepha​, Utku Er, David Burles, Chris Jones, Guy Fairbank, Jo Harry)

Band

Musical Director, Keyboards (Nick Lawrence)
Guitar (Tony Wood, Ken Herbert)
Bass (Archie Wood)
Drums (Dominic Meloni)
Percussion (Sue Shorter)

Crew

Director (Chris Hulatt)
Stage Manager (Bryony Wilman)
Costumes (Bryony Wilman)
Choreography (Rosie Copping, Anny Hooker, Chris Jones, Rachel Fay)
Set and Backstage (Moira Reid)
Lighting and Sound (Ian Trowbridge, Andy Rooney)
Props (Bryony Wilman, Susan Johnson)
Make Up (Rosie Copping and the cast)
Rehearsal Prompt & Curtain (Kay Porter)
Front of House (Members & Friends of St Michael's Players)