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Aladdin

28th January to 30th January 2010

Brighouse Theatre Productions

Aladdin Poster

Click here to view a copy of the Aladdin Program

Aladdin

Helen Wrigglesworth

Widow Twankey

Cevin Barker

Wishee Washee

John Murphy

Abanazar

Robert Longward

The Emperor of China

Paul Tankard

Princess So-Shi

Emily Bowers

PC Pong

John Hanson

PC Ping

Elliott Austin

The Genie of The Lamp

Ammar Hussain

The Slave of The Ring

Aimee Binns

Narrator

Jennifer Normanton

Senior Dancers

Charlotte Clayton, Abbie Galashan, Megan Graseley, Emily Hewson, Ashley Hudson, Charlotte Murphy, Emma Newsome, Jessica Sutcliffe, Sophie Tankard

 

Carpets - Performing Thursday and Saturday

Charlotte Bottomley, Lucy Coldwell, Charlotte Copley, Anna Guest. Georgia Holden, Aimee Holdsworth, Emily Mitchell, Lucy Mitchell, Charlotte Tankard, Beth Thompson

Lamps - Performing Friday and Saturday

Darcy Bowers, Rebecca Carmichael, Imogen Gibson, Gabrielle Kent, Amber Lockwood, Harriet Midgley, Grace Perryman, Courtney Richardson, Holly Tasker, Victoria Taylor

Behind The Scene

Rehearsal Accompanists

  Philip Baxter, John White

Stage Director

       John Gilroy

Stage Manager

    Richard Mitchell

Stage Crew

          Mike Ramsden, Steve Sykes, David Wozencroft, Chris Ellis

Scenery Design, Construction & Painting

Tony Hiley, Richard Mitchell

Lighting & Electrics

    Robert Wood & team

Sound

Glynn Pringle

Properties

Linda Holroyd, Shelagh Jones, Mary Meaker

Wardrobe

     Peggy Ellis, Karen Higgins, Jean Ramsden

Make-up

     Pam Birkby, Pauline Mann, Sandra Siswick

Prompters

 June Longward & Glynis Wrigglesworth

House Manager

  David Ellis

Publicity & Advertising

   Margaret Hallatt, Andrew Longward

Bookings

Joan Hindson, Irene Sykes

Raffle Promotion

      Jane Pringle, Joyce Waddington

Ice Cream & Confectionery

 Joan Hindson, Irene Sykes

Programme

Andrew Longward, Richard Mitchell

Programme Sales            

Joan Hindson, Sue Holdsworth

Chidren’s Matrons

    Karen Higgins, Louise Kent, Jane Thompson

After 'Cinderella' the pantomime of 'Aladdin' is the second most popular in the country. The story originates in the 'Tales of the Arabian Nights', and in the pantomime version it is set in China.

The recent Disney film of 'Aladdin' has caused some confusion to young audiences, as the action is set in ancient Arabia, and the villain of the piece is called 'Jaffar', an evil vizier and magician.

The pantomime version predates the film by almost two hundred years. The first recorded performance of 'Aladdin' was in 1788, at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden. In the Arabian Nights the villain was not named, but the 1813 production of the pantomime called him 'Abanazar', by which he is still known today.

The Pantomime tells the story of Aladdin, son of a poor widow in Peking. Originally she was called 'Widow Ching Mustapha', and the part was first played by a man, James Rogers, in 1856.

During the 1850's, Victorian London was the destination for the first clipper ships that supplied tea to the London tea houses. The fastest ship gained the largest bonus, and at the time the 'Cutty Sark', now on view in Greenwich, was the holder of that title. There was a fascination for the Chinese style in architecture, fashion and entertainment. In the Pantomime version of 1861 the name of Aladdin's mother became 'Widow Twankey', in H.J. Byron's production. Twankey was a popular tea at this time, from the Tuon Ky region of China. Another character in this version was called 'Pekoe'.

Since the 1860's the Widow Twankey, as she is now known, has become a laundress, allowing scope for slap-stick scenes in the Laundry, along with her other son 'Wishee Washee'. The increase in Chinese laundries in London's East End, and in Liverpool led to these comedy scenes. The magical part of Aladdin comes from the two Djinn or Genies, the Slave of the Ring, and the Genie of the Lamp. The original Genie gave three wishes, but in the pantomime Aladdin is free to use his newly found powers for as long as he holds the lamp.

Other characters include the Principal Girl, traditionally called Princess Balroubadour but more recently, after the Disney Film, Princess Jasmine.

The Pantomime is one of the most spectacular, often with lavish scenery, a glittering 'Transformation' scene in the cave of jewels, and very often a flying carpet to add to the magic.