Bishopstoke Players 
Durley Memorial Hall, Durley
Susanna Greenwood 
22 January 2026
Aladdin marks Bishopstoke Players’ fifth pantomime at Durley Memorial Hall. This lively comic production follows Aladdin, a poor but kind-hearted young man dreaming of a better life. He falls in love with Princess Jasmine and, with the help of a magical lamp containing a powerful Genie, attempts to outwit the evil villain Abanazar Jaffa.
Audience interaction is the heart of pantomime, turning the show into a shared, noisy, and joyful experience. It is in these moments – when ad-libbing and responding to heckles from the vocal audience – that the cast really shine. Ella Cannavo’s energetic, warm and engaging performance as Wishy Washy sets the tone. The duet between Wishy Washy and Felix Barrett’s Aladdin is another highlight, showcasing a lovely chemistry between the two performers.
Princess Jasmine does not have a great deal to get stuck into in this particular retelling of the tale, but she is played sweetly by Isla Boswell. Steve Hunter’s Widow Twankey is key to keeping the action moving throughout. While his first entrance could have been more impactful, his confidence grows with each scene, further encouraged by the audience interruptions. Widow Twankey also leads some of the larger musical numbers well.
There is some enjoyable comedy business involving the duo Rattle and Hum, played by Dylan Smith and Maxx Graves, alongside Kevin Bowers as the villain, Abanazar Jaffa. Dan Sims’ performance as a rather lazy and perpetually hungry Genie is one of the stand out turns – flamboyant and full of character. It’s also impossible not to mention the younger cast members, who really shine in this production. Nesta and Effie Flynn bring delightful energy and confident delivery, sprinkling panto magic dust in every appearance. As expected on a first night, there were some nerves evident, including a few lengthy pauses. However, in most cases the actors handled this well, ad-libbing until any audience awkwardness quickly disappeared.
Aladdin’s exotic setting usually conjures a feast for the eyes, and while there are some colourful costumes, the set is minimalist and, with no great technical feats, a little dull. However, the directorial influence shines through as key moments are cleverly reimagined. Without giving spoilers, the entrance to Aladdin’s cave and the elephant stand out as fun examples of the quirky humour throughout the show. There were perhaps some missed opportunities involving Widow Twankey’s Laundry and the wash-o-matic, one of the few set pieces.
As with every good pantomime the humour is double-edged to cater for audiences of all ages. Adriano Sapelli’s performance as Sultan Pepper, complete with a well-executed King Charles impersonation, allows for topical references and jokes at the expense of disgraced royalty – many sailing over the heads of younger audience members while leaving the rest of us squirming with delight.
It is clear that both audience and performers are having a wonderful time with this show. With further performances on Friday 23rd and Saturday 24th January, this is a fine example of what local community panto should be.
