You know you’ve done something spectacularly right when young, old and every age in between come to the same agreement.
Such was the case with audience remarks on The Moose Jaw Cultural Centre’s eight run show of its production of Aladdin. For those that were able to catch a performance - wasn’t that great! And for those who missed out - sorry, about your luck. Family fun was the main reason behind the panto performance at the Mae Wilson Theatre.
For eight shows (from Dec. 27 to the 30), the age-old adventure tale of Aladdin was told in a unique way, with lively music, contemporary jokes and encouraged audience interaction.
Aladdin is a pantomime, or panto, a type of British theatre popular during the holiday season. The audience is encouraged to participate by booing the villain and cheering the hero. Children are allowed to be as noisy as they please, and adults and seniors didn’t hold back either.
Last December, the Cultural Centre presented Cinderella for eight shows.
Like Cinderella, Aladdin was a large scale theatre production, with a professional cast, director, costumes and sets.
“My wife and daughter came to see Cinderella last year and thought it was great, so my son and I had to check out Aladdin this year,” RCMP Corp. Alan VanThyne told the Times-Herald. “The Moose Jaw dancers did a great job.”
12-year-old Chayce knows some of the dancers and agreed with his father. “Yeah, for Moose Jaw it’s pretty great.”
All of the Aladdin cast members are currently or originally from Saskatchewan, and three are returning from the Moose Jaw Cultural Centre's production of Cinderella from last year.
Daniel Falk, who played Prince Charming in Cinderella, returned to play Aladdin. Leon Willey, who played the impish Dandini in Cinderella, played Wishy-Washy in Aladdin. Brad McDougall, who had the part of the Baron Hardup, Cinderella's father, last year, took the part of Widow Twankey in Aladdin.
For mory on this story pick up the next issue of the Times-Herald.
