Festive cheer was in the air for Orchard West’s pantomime Aladdin for many reasons. One of them being the question on everyone’s lips… who is replacing Linda Robson as Councillor Chigwell? At the time of review, Robson had been taken ill, and a very surprising and unexpected replacement at the very last minute had been found. Freshly off the 25th anniversary reunion tour of the band Blue, Antony Costa only had one day of rehearsal before stepping into Robson’s shoes. This bold move brought not only festive cheer for Costa, saving the show, but also added to the magic created by the whole cast on stage as they welcomed him with open arms and eased him into the action.
Costa, despite his nerves showing on the odd occasion, portrayed a role that had the right amount of overprotectiveness towards his daughter Jasmine (played by the amazing Ruby Mann), and a subtle, yet delicate comedic touch as he tried to maintain order in Dartfordia.
Sadly, Linda Robson will not be returning to Aladdin, but everyone at London Theatre 1 wishes her a great recovery.
In general, the whole experience from start to finish was extremely magical and well executed on all levels, including the hard-working backstage crew who endured technical difficulties that could have set everything back. Due to the banter from the opening scene with the crew, rather than letting it stop the fun, they did what a traditional pantomime would do. Make it a huge part of the action and keep the energy high and engaging! This, in the most part, was due to Cleve September playing the titular role of Aladdin. He brought the perfect balance of innocence and naivety, alongside the clear experience he had in working with precise comedic timing and audience interaction.
It was also great to see September use a playful and fun aspect to his role through his clear, supportive, and close partnership with Rikki Jay’s hilarious Franky Panky and the glamorous Dame Widow Panky, played by the vivacious Jason Marc-Williams. Between the three of them, they encouraged a natural rhythm in their quips and comedic banter, creating a strong sense of a close-knit family fighting against the odds. Added to the mix were these respective characters’ individual strengths. Such as Jay’s natural ability to make sure everyone felt included in the action through comradeship, as well as Marc-Williams’ subtle innuendos that reminded me of the classic comedy of Benny Hill and Frankie Howard. With all three characters combined, this was a dynamic trio that was extremely fun and engaging to watch.
Other highlights included the villainous Sven Gali, played by Richard Foster-King. He provided a great sense of danger with wanting the power of the genie to rule the world, but was also not afraid to channel his inner RuPaul and slay the runway with ease. Just don’t mistake him for being anything other than Swedish! In contrast, Anton Stephans’ Genie of the Lamp added an element of pure disco soul and funk as he dominated the stage and provided his own flavour of magic by being just that little bit extra. His rich voice added an additional layer of charm and elegance to the proceedings, as well as a strong stage presence that made you pay attention and watch with anticipation as to what happened next.
Finally, the charming and cheeky Mandy Muden brought her unique style of magic tricks and sparkle as the Genie of the Ring. She complemented the cast well with a role that, unlike a lot of traditional Genies, was not afraid to live her best life on a budget and made sure she had a chance to showcase her own sense of self-worth through a warm approach to the text.
Alongside a very strong cast and crew, we saw a beautiful set that was, for the majority of it hand hand-painted with precise detail, highlighted by lighting that really created the right moods for each scene and made us feel like we were really in Dartfordia. More importantly, the script by Andrew Pollard brought pantomime back to the genre’s traditional roots, which have been sorely missed in more recent years. Using all these powerful elements combined, we saw an experience that was enchanting, magical and entertaining.
Aladdin provides joy, magic, and warmth, and melts even the hardest of hearts. Not to be missed.
Review by Sascha Cooper
Take a magic carpet ride this festive season to Orchard West and join us for the magical pantomime adventure, Aladdin!
Starring stage star and platinum-award-winning boy band Blue icon Antony Costa as Councillor Costa, the hilarious comedian Rikki Jay as Franky Panky, panto regular Jason-Marc-Williams as your dame, Widow Panky. Joined by Britain’s Got Talent and America’s Got Talent’s magical Mandy Muden as Spirit of the Ring, West End stars Cleve September as Aladdin and Anton Stephans as Genie of the Lamp. With musical theatre sensation Ruby Mann as Princess Jasmine and seasoned panto performer and actor Richard Foster-King as the Wicked Sorcerer.
Will Aladdin be able to thwart the wicked sorcerer, gain control of the magic lamp and win the heart of Jasmine? Come along and find out!
Make magical memories with this fun-packed family friendly pantomime, suitable for everyone aged 3 to 103! Aladdin has all of the panto ingredients you know and love – expect a dastardly villain, a hapless comic, a hilarious panto dame, as well as fabulous musical numbers, bags of slapstick fun and a magic lamp to make all your panto dreams come true! Grab your tickets now to this fabulous festive treat before they fly out of the door!
Antony Costa Appearance Dates
Antony Costa is scheduled to appear at all remaining performances except for performances on the 18, 20, 23 and 31 December. At these performances, the role will be played by West End star Hollie Cassar. Please note that we cannot guarantee the appearance of any specific artist at any given performance.
Ensemble:
Israel Clifton, Joey Hall, Shane Lavell, Maddie McGawley, Craig Noakes, Jody Zimmerman
Junior Ensemble:
Team Genie: Bella Huntingdon, Ivy Grace Willoghby, Daisy Quigley, Charlie Kirk, Ruth Palfreyman, Grace-Lily Walshe, Frankie May, Isla-Pearl Hussein
Team Dragon: Esmae Kevany, Olivia Petty, Jessica Petty, James Sweeney, Lily Pardoe, Kacie Covill, Jasmine Patterson, Holly Lochtie
Reserve Team: Ella Parish, Sienna Summers, Rosa Lewis, Oliver Jeeves, Valerie Alamy, Erin Sear Davis, Betsy Godden, Katie Rideour
Creative Team:
Associate Producers – Laura Taylor and Steve Boden
Writer – Andrew Pollard
Director – Michael Vivian
Choreographer – Katherine Iles
Musical Director – Miles Russell
Musical Arrangers – Alex Roberts and Ed Watkins
Lighting Designer – Will West
Sound Designer – David Beckham
For Aladdin:
Company Stage Manager/Show Caller – Kayleigh Alstin
Assistant Stage Manager (Book Cover) – Amber Whickman
Assistant Stage Manager (Second Cover) – Ella Ponter
Dance Captain – Jody Zimmerman
Wardrobe Supervisor – Chrissie Collins
Wardrobe Assistant – Louise Sargeant
Technical Team:
Production Manager – Chris Buffham
Production Sound – Richard Gurley
Sound No 1 – Zachary Dorne
Lighting Programmer – Ben Sayers
Lighting Operators – Simon Banks and Becky Kearns
Follow Spot Operators – Jack Hobbins and Mason Mote
Stage Crew – Dave Hughes, Colin Rayment, Tommy Dickson, Lewis McCormick and Oscar Woodcock
Fit Up Crew – Mark Robinson (LX), Dave Kerry and Jonathon Hill (Stage)
Head Chaperone – Karen Davies
Chaperones – April Hall, Rebecca Hills, Amy Skillman, Courtney Clark, Alison Plummer, Linda Andrews, Amelia
ALADDIN
Orchard West, Dartford
13 December 2025 to 4 January 2026
