Review 4 - Western Daily Press

✨ALADDIN is “a great Christmas show – take the family.

“ The genie's truly out of the lamp for the sparkling, razzle-dazzle fun-filled spectacle… this panto delivers visually, musically and story wise, keeping the audience rapt.”

Review 3 - Stagetalk Magazine

ALADDIN AT BATH THEATRE ROYAL

Posted by Graham Wyles | 10 Dec 2022

Anyone who has ever read a panto script will have been bemused as to how such inconsequential stuff ever manages to entertain a theatre full of people, ranging in age from those who have only recently acquired the skill to walk upright and those who are in danger of losing it.  The answer to this puzzler is to be found in the skill of the performers, musicians and director in fashioning such unpromising material into something that will encourage the younger members of the audience into gleefully venting their disapprobation of one or more of the other characters – the baddie and their minions. Another standard situation for the exercise of young lungs is some kind of comic jeapordy in which the audience is encouraged to voice urgent warnings; the, ‘look behind you’ sequence. Add to this mix costumes that even the bravest B list celebrity wouldn’t dare to expose to the red carpet as a means of attracting attention and some eye-popping lighting of an improbable set and you are indeed all set.

In John Monie, Bath Theatre Royal has a seasoned panto pro and as this year’s writer he is someone who has a good idea of what works and what doesn’t, what can be done without and what absolutely must be in. With his years of experience comes an easy rapport with the audience, particularly the children and the recognition that, ‘something for the mums and dads’, that flies over the heads of the kids is de rigeur. The best ‘adult’ scene involves Wishee and Aladdin (Alex Aram) playing the piano in an (ahem) unusual and risqué way. Suffice to say plonking is involved.  John Monie’s Wishee Washee is a lovable, seemingly gormless and apparently innocent stock character who can inadvertently put a spanner in the works and yet has a Jeeves-like knack of sorting out a sticky situation.  He is a kind of sexless go-between for the juvenile leads, who will of course have some hurdles to jump prior to happy-ever-aftering. As ever Mr Monie entertainingly makes the part his own.

Mr Aram is the love-lorn Aladdin, who spends much of his time gazing wistfully into the gods with the freshly unboxed look of a lad coming to terms with his first love. The peart and fulgent ingénue, Kaysha Nada, is Princess Jasmine, the all-consuming object of Aladdin’s affection. She looks the part and sings as one would hope a princess sings – like an angel.

Clearly relishing his role is Tom Lister, a ruggedly nasty Abanazar, the dark foil to all the goody-goodies. Mr Lister has found that careful balance of nastiness and humour that keeps his character the right side of melodrama whilst being comfortably larger-than-life and seat bouncingly boo-able.

Amy Perry has a bagful of magical zing as the Spirit of the Ring, always watchable when she’s on stage whilst Mr Monie’s fellow stalwart, Nick Wilton, is a colourful and, as ever, man-hungry Widow Twankey. Michael Chance is a suitably ineffectual and loving Emperor, whilst Maddison Tyson, as a newcomer to the genre, has judged it well with his ever-so-slightly camp and benign Genie who ungrudgingly grants the wishes of all who control him.

As a kick start to the festive season Aladdin is bang on the money with everything as it should be.

Review 2 - Bath Echo

Review | Aladdin – The Theatre Royal, Bath

SUNDAY 11TH DECEMBER 2022 BATH ECHO | LIFESTYLE 

Christmas can officially start as panto is here! Jon Monie, aside from owning the stage as Wishee Washee has once again penned a gloriously sparkling show full of fun, wit and outrageous innuendo which flies over the heads of little people and keeps the adults fully engaged throughout. It is a good-looking affair which rips through at a great pace, taking the audience on the journey of Aladdin whose true love Jasmine is to be married to another.

Throw in the mix a show-stealing baddie in the form of Abanazar, from an outstanding Tom Lister, and there is little left to worry about.

Nick Wilton is a wonderfully reliable Widow Twankey alongside Amy Perry as the Spirit of the Ring with Maddison Tyson as the Genie the show is in very safe hands.

There are some excellent mash-up numbers with the band under the direct of Joshua Newport and the show keeps its momentum throughout.

All the company work well with Kaysha Nada (Jasmine) Alex Aram (Aladdin) and Michael Chance (Emperor) alongside the boundless talent of the ensemble: Kitty O’Gara, Lexi Davies, Mia Oakely, George Rushton and Benjamin Goodwin.

There is much to enjoy, especially with the return of the Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance, it feels that the festive season has begun in earnest.

https://www.bathecho.co.uk/opinions/reviews/aladdin-theatre-royal-bath-100484/

Review 1 - Bath & Wiltshire Parent

Review: Aladdin at the Theatre Royal Bath, including the king of baddies

10th December 2022

Great news! The bestest baddie is in town and while his magic is tragic and his dancing pretty ropey too, he’s an absolute cracker and the star of the show. 

Who is this evil one? Well horrible old Abanazar, of course, the king of naughty in the Theatre Royal Bath‘s festive production of Aladdin, and what a treat he is. Played with absolute glee by Tom Lister (of Emmerdale fame), it’s no surprise that Tom won Best Villain in the Great British Panto Awards in 2016.

And what’s even better, the rest of the cast are pretty good too, with Bath favourite Jon Monie acting as both scriptwriter and Wishee Washee, Nick Wilton back in high heels and grand gowns as the dame Widow Twankey, and Amy Perry as The Spirit of the Ring.

Nick Wilton as Widow Twankey and Tom Lister as Abanazar (Photo Freia Turland)

The result is an old school, traditional panto with loads of fun, lots of silliness and surprisingly large amount of naughty humour too. And yes, the old favourites are included, including the ghosts and the bench sketch, singalongs, a fair bit of audience participation and lots of ‘oh no he isn’t’ all for good measure. All in all, a perfect family festive treat.

So you know the plot – Aladdin falls in love with Princess Jasmine and in an attempt to get enough wealth to marry her, ends up the possessing the magical lamp – genie and all – despite the evil-doings of Aba-banana. Along the way, of course, there is magic, romance, lots of singing and plenty of jokes.

Of course the ghost sketch is back… 

One of the best parts about this production is that all of the parts are beautifully played, including the ensemble. Alex Aram and Kaysha Nada are superb as the young lovers Aladdin and Princess Jasmine, while Maddison Tyson is charming as the Genie of the Lamp. Special note must also go to the children of the Dorothy Coleborn School of Dance who are outstanding in the ensemble.

Now, of course, every panto has a few risque jokes which generally fly above the kids’ heads while mum and dad enjoy a little snigger. For this production of Aladdin, however, there seemed to be significantly more than usual, including an unforgettable, and admittedly very funny scene, where Aladdin and his brother play a piano duet without the use of their hands as only naughty brothers could.

Was it too much? Absolutely not – as someone once said, it was all done in the best possible taste, with everyone seeming to enjoy the fun. Add in a fair few jokes at the expense of local residents – including a threat to banish one of a character to Melksham – parties in Downing Street and even a reference to a certain Royal related Netflix series, and it all added up to a good old night of jokes bad and good, and all the better for it.

There’s something charming about the Theatre Royal Bath panto. This is generally due to less of a reliance on super hi-tech special effects and the biggest stars around, and more about great performances and clever scripts. Aladdin keeps up the tradition in fine form – top notch panto fun and the just the thing to get you in the Christmas spirit. 

Aladdin at the Theatre Royal Bath runs until 8 January 2023. For more details and to book tickets, go to www.theatreroyal.org.uk

https://thebathandwiltshireparent.co.uk/2022/12/review-aladdin-at-the-theatre-royal-bath-including-the-king-of-baddies/

StageTalk Interview

As Wishee’s mum Widow Twankey, Nick Wilton says: “She’s such a great character. She’s a real man-chaser and very naughty.” The man best known as Market Inspector Mr Lister on EastEnders since 2008 is also hailed as one of the best pantomime dames in the business and last played Widow Twankey in a 2016 production of Aladdin at the Theatre Royal. “This is a different take because Jon Monie always writes a great script,” Nick adds. “It also means I get a lot more schtick from my on-stage son. I’m definitely the butt of all his jokes.”

 Wilton’s roster of dames also includes Polly La Plonk in Beauty and the Beast, Dolly in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Dame Trott in Jack and the Beanstalk. “I started out doing sketch shows on TV, which don’t exist anymore, and pantos encompassed a lot of what I was already doing – like character work, sketches and routines,” he says of why he’s drawn to the genre. “I also love that cheeky relationship with the audience.”

Does he get to sing in the show? “Unfortunately for the audience, yes, but they’re character songs. And again, Jon has written some fantastic lyrics. I also love the fact that as always in Bath it’s very much a theatre panto rather than one of the big glitzy ones full of star names. It’s traditional and very story-led, and there’s always a wonderful and warm atmosphere at the Theatre Royal.”

https://stagetalkmagazine.com/p/27574

Fine Times Recorder

A MAGIC CARPET RIDE TO CHOCOLATE BOX HEAVEN

Nick Wilton had no interest in pantomime until he saw the late Chris Harris as the Dame in Dick Whittington at Plymouth Theatre Royal in 1987.

Nick’s first experience of panto had been when he was 12  watching his sister dance in their local hall, and he felt no connection to the show. But at the age of 30, when he was doing children’s television, he found himself in Plymouth working with Chris, Bernard Cribbins and other great performers, creating new routines and bringing the age-old story to life. He “realised that pantomime was something quite magical.” 

It seems fitting that Nick has now established a great rapport with Jon Monie at Bath Theatre Royal, where Chris was the much-loved and admired Dame for so many years, regularly teamed with the rubber-faced comedian in one of the great panto partnerships.

Soon after the death of Chris Harris, who was one of the greatest dames of all time, as well as a supremely knowledgeable panto historian, Nick came to Bath to play the dame. He and Jon hit it off and went on to make pantomime magic for the next four years. A Covid-enforced break and last year’s Cinderella (with no dame) meant that Nick missed two years at Bath, but it is good news for local fans that they are back together again this year in Jon’s new version of Aladdin, running from 8th December to 8th January.

Nick is a touching and lovable Dame, (Widow Twankey this year), cuddly and sweet-natured, but with a nicely acerbic edge, while Jon is the archetypal “village idiot” style knockabout comic (Wishee Washee in Aladdin).

The trio of leads in Aladdin is completed with the arch-villain, the wizard Abanazar, played by Tom Lister, a long-time star of television’s Emmerdale, with a wide-ranging list of stage plays and musicals to his name. His early acting career included a leading role in the powerful drama, The Accrington Pals, in Leeds. He was spotted by the Emmerdale producers and auditioned successfully for the role of Carl King, a part he played for nearly 10 years, ending with a dramatic death in an episode that was broadcast live.

More recently, Tom had the leading role for two years in an acclaimed production of 42nd Street at Drury Lane, which was screened at theatres and arts centres around the country.

He always dreamed of having a major role in the West End and 42nd Street saw his dream come true – performing on London’s biggest stage, with a huge cast, orchestra and back stage crew. “I really had to pinch myself,” he recalls.

In pantomime, you take off the shackles, he says, “and have the best time of your life. You can be as camp as a row of tents and enjoy every moment.” It is “one of the most rewarding things you can do on stage.”

In preparation for his role as Abanazar – one of pantomime’s most glamorous villains – he has been chatting to members of the Magic Circle and is really looking forward to Christmas in Bath, which he calls “chocolate box heaven.”

Jon Monie, who lives in Wiltshire and has been a star of Bath pantomime since 1996, has established himself as a successful and in-demand pantomime writer. As well as a one-off Little Mermaid for Butlins, he has written four pantos, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Peter Pan and this year’s Aladdin. All are in production this year, with Aladdin also at Sunderland and Aylesbury. He has tweaked the familiar Arabian Nights story – the Bath audience doesn’t want radical reworkings: They want a good traditional story-led family panto.” So we can expect the Spirit of the Ring, the Genie of the Lamp and a magic carpet. But he has made some subtle changes – Princess Jasmine, played by panto debutante Kaysha Nada, will be more feisty and have more to do than the usual rather shallow love interest for Aladdin (Alex Aram, in his first full professional panto). There is no PC Pong, but the Emperor (Michael Chance, returning after Baron Hardup in last year’s Cinderella) has a much-expanded role.

Predictably, pantomime is Jon’s busiest time. The rest of the year, (when he isn’t writing a new Christmas show) he is, he says, “a jobbing actor, a bit hand-to-mouth,” picking up work here and there. This year that has included a “very small” part in a period drama being filmed in Bath (no spoilers – we don’t know which!)

But now, for Jon, Nick, Tom, Kaysha, Alex and Michael, it’s full on for the pantomime – oh yes it is!

Photographs by Freia Turland

Back in Bath this Christmas

Yes! Returning for my 5th Christmas at

The Theatre Royal, Bath -

my 23rd season playing Dame. 

Jon Monie has written another fantastic show and I’m really looking forward to working with him again, together with the wonderful Tom Lister playing Abanazar (who I worked with at The Blackpool Grand in 2019 on Jon’s online “lockdown” panto, Pantomonium), and Michael Chance as The Emperor (we last did panto together in Sleeping Beauty in Basingstoke in 2010).