In the sparkling thrill of the pantomime, fantasy becomes everyday and the everyday fantastical, and the latest treasure to surface at Stockport Plaza is no exception. The first lesson of the panto is that anything goes, and with a trill of the organ, a bolt of lightning, and a crackle of laughter, the man who drove a van into the canal on Coronation Street is now a wizard in ancient China. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, the magic of panto is back. Oh, yes it is!
In an ancient and glittering fantasy of Peking (now Beijing), the evil wizard Abanazar (Brian Capron) seeks to become the most powerful man in all the land. The answer to his dark desires lies in the depths of a distant cave, wherein lies an ancient wish-granting lamp – or so says the fairy Scheherazade (Morgan Hughes), who warns of a deadly fate for those who would dare to steal it. Abanazar’s scheming eyes soon fall on Peking’s brightly-gowned, tightly-wound washerwoman, and in particular, her troublemaking son, Aladdin (Kerim Zeroual), to see him achieve his maniacal goals.
In his desperation to impress Princess Balroubadour (Mimi Smithson) and her father the Emperor (David J Higgins), Aladdin risks it all to strike it rich in his quest for the magic lamp. With an untimely death quickly avoided with the help of the Genie (Miles Radley), what began as a hopeful trip quickly becomes something much bigger as he goes on a magic carpet rescue to the End of the Earth, with some help along the way his mother Widow Twanky (Barry Bentley) and twin brother Wishee Washee (Scott Gallagher).
Extravaganza Productions has truly outdone themselves with Aladdin, as have the actors, dancers, and behind-the-scenes team on the show. Brian Capron – best known for playing Corrie villain Richard Hillman – is deliciously wicked in his role as Abanazar, and Scott Gallagher and Barry Bentley’s energy is infectious from the get go – all three embody make-or-break roles, and all three hit the ground running. For a case of missing the ground entirely, Aladdin’s magic carpet ride is an example of special effects done unbelievably well – with Aladdin soaring beyond the stage boundaries entirely leaving the audience awash with disbelief, and a well-deserved massive round of applause for the work of Burnt Toast SFX.
Particular praise is reserved for Tariq Mhseli and Owen Stewart, who played Officer 6 and Officer 7 of the Peking police. Besides being pleasantly surprised to see an internet meme make it to the stage while still in-date (kudos to a very tuned-in scriptwriter), I was enthralled by the chemistry between the pair. Between running cartoonishly in sync to giving some impressive displays of acrobatics, Officers 6 and 7 are best described as the spryer version of Tintin’s Thompson and Thomson. A delight to watch doesn’t cut it.
Beyond performance however, the real magic of Aladdin shines through – often literally – in its costume and scenery, all designed and made by Extravaganza’s David Vickers. Every background curtain is a delicately hand-painted artwork of its own, each made all the livelier by the vast amount of sequins sewn in. The range of Vickers’ costuming talents is equally on display: a glittering love letter to historical Eastern fashion and traditional British panto.
Extravaganza Productions’ Aladdin is a rare chance to see one of the world’s most magical fairytales in one of the UK’s most beloved variety theatres. Paul Greenwood’s interval performance on the Plaza’s near-century-old Compton Organ is a rare treasure not likely to be found in any other theatre. This year’s Aladdin is a sparkling reminder of the magic of pantomime for all ages – unmissable.
Aladdin is at Stockport Plaza from 5 December 2025 to 4 January 2026.