Aladdin Jr (Blue)

Talented Magic

Aladdin Jr.

by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Chad Beguelin

Dramacube, Twickenham Blue Cast at Hampton Hill Theatre until 2^nd April

Review by Charlotte Taylor

Charlotte Taylor is one of our younger reviewers.   She has trained with Dramacube and is now fifteen years old.

When I walked into Hampton Hill Theatre I wasn’t expecting the amount of talent and enthusiasm that was about to hit me.  Dramacube’s young Twickenham Blue cast completely blew me away and every single one of them had amazing confidence and energy in their acting that filled the theatre. 

As the performance of Aladdin Jr. began, I noticed the beautiful Arabian night backdrop, which fitted in cleverly with the opening song Arabian Nights, and as soon as the cast started singing the magic began. 

All of the songs were performed beautifully by a dazzling cast, an example of this is Friend Like Me, which was sung passionately by the flamboyant Genie, played by Daisy Allen and Grace Mae Chenery.  On both nights the talented pair of actresses never failed to amaze me with the choreography and their stunning yet unique singing voices. 

Every ensemble number was completely packed out with energy and skill and I had the songs playing in my head for days.  Someone who really stood out to me was Anya Malinowska, who really bought her scenes alive as Rajah, along with her brilliant co-actresses Keiva Mcnelis, Daisy Langrish and Charlotte Alexandre.  They all shone in their roles as elegant handmaidens, as they made the scenes their own and kept the audience entertained throughout. 

After Princess Jasmine (Mimi Worsley and Isabella James) had talked to her handmaidens, saying she was fixed on leaving the palace, then so she did.  As she was wandering through the packed and elegantly designed market place, she came across Aladdin (played by Rosa Bruce-Ball and Joseph Kirwan).  As soon as the two met you could tell it was love at first sight.  The young performers had a clear connection with each other, which was made more prominent the more they were seen with each other, and this was proven when they went on a magic carpet ride with each other over the Arabian city. 

Along with the carpet ride was a beautifully performed song, A Whole New World.  Throughout this song the pair would visit new worlds whilst ‘soaring, tumbling and freewheeling through the endless diamond sky’.   On both nights they sung beautifully and showed passion in their singing.  By the end of the song the pair were inseparable, but little did they know the evil Jafar (Joshua Briggs and Eva Scargill) had a plan hatching. 

When Aladdin and Jasmine arrived back at the palace safe and sound, we found out that it is against the law of the land for a suitor to trespass in the princess’s private chambers and that a prince such as himself surely knows the laws of the land, and therefore Aladdin was held and locked away in the royal dungeon. 

Back in the market place Aladdin’s loyal pals Babkak (Olivia Stamenkovic) Omar (Larissa Schaffrick) and Kassim (Emilia Taylor) hatched a plan to save their friend.  The trio were going to storm the palace, which was cleverly shown in the song High Adventure, which was energetic and powerful with transfixing movements and impressive stage combat.  It turns out their plan wasn’t that solid and they were all stuck in the dungeon together, but Aladdin had a plan of his own and with help from the genie the city of Agrabah was saved!  

The whole cast showed such talent and resilience through the whole show and should be very proud of themselves.

Charlotte Taylor, April 2022

Photography by Bomi Cooper