London Theatre Review: Aladdin at Prince Edward Theatre
Posted on 24 December 2018
The wonderful world of Disney can be a very special place, full of plenty of magic and amazement to transport you from reality to fiction. Disney’s Aladdin the Musical, currently at the Prince Edward Theatre, has had a huge following since it arrived and I took my turn on the magic carpet to see if it still lives up to the hype.
It must be stated that this show has incredible moments, mainly from the huge showstopper ‘Friend Like Me’. The number could easily be showcased as a performance and could even be promoted as a separate billing for its incredible special effects, amazing choreography and all-round production.
Trevor Dion Nicholas as the Genie of the Lamp has a lot to live up to. With the iconic part originally performed by comedy genius Robin Williams, any portrayal of this character could easily be deemed disappointing. That cannot be said for Nicholas. His comic timing along with his energy made for an incredibly loveable Genie that seemed to be Williams-esque and original in equal parts. As the Genie Nicholas steals the show with huge musical numbers and superb comedy.
The introduction of Aladdin’s three best friends, Babkak, Omar and Kassim (played by Leon Craig, Daniel De Bourg and Julian Capolei) help produce great comedy. It also introduced some fantastic new songs to the production; the highlight of which was ‘High Adventure’ performed superbly by the trio working seamlessly alongside Princess Jasmine (Jade Ewen).
Matthew Croke delivered the boyish charm of Aladdin with excellence and style showing the softer side of the street rat with ease. Aladdin’s stunning solo ‘Proud of Your Boy’ was performed beautifully and didn’t seem out of character for the cheeky thief that is known and loved by all; showing Croke’s diversity in acting styles.
Aladdin is an enjoyable evening's entertainment at the theatre. It could be seen as fairly panto-esque but in reality, that doesn’t matter to this style of performance.
Aladdin is currently booking until 1 June 2019. Book Aladdin tickets today to soar into a whole new world!
