On one of the country’s smallest stages and in one of the most magical theatres anywhere Arnie Breen and George Critchley have put together another utterly smashing pantomime.

This Aladdin is an Arabian Nights comedy. It uses enchantingly simple stage techniques in keeping with the traditions of this venue and they work. The magic carpet rests on a trolley. When characters are whisked off to a distant land they merely twirl and twirl. In both cases the audience murmurs its admiration.

Musical numbers are modern. A Queen selection has had its lyrics suitably and hilariously altered. The dancing is thoroughly sensible given the size of the stage and it still looks very good.

Breen plays Abanazer and from the moment he magics forth a Slave, like some grand master magician, the surprises keep on coming and delighting. Watching the cast steadily wind up a mass chase sequence took this reviewer’s breath away.

Young Aladdin, played by Mareike Wagner, is refreshingly street smart and sassy. As both the Genie and a policeman Hambi Pappas is a potentially exciting comic discovery.In cold print the running time looks excessive but in reality it does not seem so. This is a pantomime without a flat or a dull moment.

By Kevin Berry

The Stage

Perhaps it's the intimate atmosphere of panto at the Georgian, the feeling that you know the performers and they know you, that makes people cast away their inhibitions.

It's a bit like a village hall production except for the excellent singing, confident delivery and choreography that works. No jostling for position, in spite of the tiny stage; Karen Heritage has taught her young dancers well and their dazzling smiles showed how much they were enjoying themselves.

Small children, however, have a notoriously short attention span and there's a limit to how much hissing, booing and clapping they can stand. Not so the adults; I don't think I've ever been part of such an enthusiastic audience. They shouted all the right responses, waved their arms about, sang along even when they weren't supposed to - it's safe to say they had a wonderful time.

The comedy was familiar and good-humoured, with Tony Howes as Wishee Washee and Tim Pope as the Dame doing a memorable double act. Philippa Tozer did some quick changes as the Empress Ming (Ming the Merciless? Ming the Liberal Democrat? No, Ming the Empress of Peking) to become the engaging Slave of the Ring. So did Hambi Pappas, as the Genie unable to explain why there's never a policeman about when you want one. Mareike Wagner and Kirsty Lee Turner as Aladdin and the Princess weren't altogether soppy, joining in some of the comic bits, and both sang really well.

It's a really good show in the best traditions of panto - oh yes it is!

The Northern Echo