Aladdin – Hackney Empire, Hackney

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

Writer: Will Brenton 

Director: Clive Rowe

“Fun, Festive, Frivolity”

4.5 / 5

Gone are the days of the John Lewis advert, or an advent calendar signalling the beginning of Christmas, almost as synonymous with the big day as Santa himself – the minute Clive Rowe steps on the Hackney Empire stage for a panto, we know that the festive season is finally upon us! This year it’s Aladdin – and once again, it’s an absolute gem.  

Aladdin (Fred Double) is a well-loved resident of Hack-ne-lah, his warm heart & charitable nature endearing to everyone he meets, including Jazz (Isabella Mason), the daughter of rich local businessman Mildew Funk (George Heyworth). Unlike her father, she doesn’t care about bank balances or property portfolios – she just wants to fall in love with somebody kind, with common interests as her, and Aladdin is definitely ticking those boxes. It’s just a shame the evil Abby-na-zaaar! (Natasha Lewis) also has him in her sights – to steal a magic lamp that will finally help her on her way to world domination. Disney – watch out, because this panto version of Aladdin is a strong contender! 

The best part of the whole show is that you can truly tell absolutely every single person on the stage is having a blast. They clearly enjoy performing the show, as each of their interactions just exude fun and happiness, which is great to see from an audience point of view! It’s a brilliantly varied cast as well – from the adorable children from Vestry School of Dance & Performing Arts, to panto royalty Clive Rowe in his 16th year with Hackney Empire, everyone puts in 110% effort and makes it a performance to remember. Natasha Lewis is a fabulous villain – eliciting a steady stream of hisses and boos whenever she comes on stage. Kat B as The Genie and Rishi Manuel as Wishy are also excellently engaging, encouraging as much silliness as possible. 

On top of the wonderful cast, the set and costumes (Cleo Pettitt) are perfectly exaggerated, eye-catching and extravagant – everything you want from a pantomime backdrop. The musicians play a great soundtrack of modern songs mixed in with many 70s/80s classics which keeps the energy high throughout.  

Pantomimes are meant to be light-hearted and fun – and Hackney Empire’s Aladdin is exactly that. The ridiculous puns throughout the show are Genie-us, bringing an added level of entertainment for the adults while the kids enjoy the slapstick and interactive songs. Get on your magic carpet (or failing that, the bus) and head over to Hackney Empire during the run – it’s a Christmas must do!

Runs Until 31 December 2023