It’s been almost 32 years since Disney’s Aladdin was released at cinemas but in this latest theatre production, which arrived in Manchester’s Palace Theatre this week, the magic still lives on. Bringing all of the nostalgia and excitement associated with the much-loved, coming-of-age tale of being your true self, the show continues its record-breaking run on Broadway and will be performing in Manchester until early July. Read on for our review of the musical adapted from Disney’s Aladdin and centuries-old folktales at Manchester Palace Theatre.
Since opening on Broadway at the New Amsterdam Theatre in March 2014, nine subsequent productions have launched around the world, including over 1200 performances at the Prince Edward Theatre in London’s West End. In this production, Gavin Adams, a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, makes his professional debut in the title role of Aladdin.
The story of Aladdin
The plot of Aladdin follows a young, poor boy navigating life on the streets of the Arabian city of Agrabah, swindling his way to survive. Aladdin is lead on an adventure where he encounters a magic lamp within the Cave of Wonders, which sees a genie emerge from the lamp.
Aladdin is granted three wishes by the genie, one of which is to become a prince so he can marry the beautiful Princess Jasmine. However, becoming a prince isn’t all what it seems, and Aladdin must overcome obstacles along the way from Jafar, the Sultan’s power-hungry advisor.
However, unlike the Disney film, Aladdin has three merry men (Babkak, Omar and Kassim) as his sidekicks as opposed to his monkey companion, Abu. His three friends bring plenty of energy, humour and flair to the production, which is shown in the trio’s performance of original song ‘High Adventure’ as they embark on an adventure to help save Aladdin featuring choreographed fight scenes and slow-motion effects.
Yeukayi Ushe as the Genie
One performance in this production that is definitely worth highlighting is Yeukayi Ushe‘s performance as the dazzling role of Genie. Showcasing a wide vocal range reminiscent of Robin William’s role as Genie in the 1992 film but still making the character his own, Ushe takes to the stage with heaps of pizzazz and sparkle (both in costume and personality).
The sassiness of his stage presence from the get-go had the audience gripped, so much so he tells us not to miss him too much as he leaves following his performance of ‘Arabian Nights’. On his return inside the Cave of Wonders, the actor was welcomed back with cheers before performing a mesmerising number of ‘Friend Like Me’, featuring melodies from Disney films we know and love and a little nod to a popular Saturday night show (if you needed more of a reason to watch the musical, then this is it).
The energetic aura Ushe had on stage was infectious and as he seamlessly transitioned from different styles of music and voices, I felt like the animated Genie from the 1992 Disney film in that scene where his jaw drops dramatically towards the floor.
It’s also worth noting Desmonda Cathabel‘s performance as Jasmine, as she nailed the strong, stubborn character that the princess is known for. And her performance alongside Gavin Adams for the song ‘A Whole New World’ was magnificent as their wonderful singing, as well as the magical staging, had the audience entranced.
Music, costume and set design in Disney’s Aladdin musical
The music in this production struck the perfect balance, in my opinion. Featuring the classic songs from the film that are hard not to sing-along to like ‘Prince Ali’ and ‘Friend Like Me’, as well as new musical numbers that were a welcoming surprise. The lyrics of the new songs were refreshing and brought the old folk-tale closer to the present day as well as giving more characters the singing spotlight.
The costume design was absolutely stunning with many outfits certainly not lacking sparkle, adding to the magic of the production. The colours of the costume during the Arabian market scenes were vibrant mirroring the animated setting of the market, thus showing the detail that has gone into the outfits. Plus, the costume changes were remarkable, particularly when Aladdin transforms from a poor boy to a rich prince.
As for the set design, Bob Crowley did a phenomenal job here, bringing the Disney magic to the stage. The Cave of Wonders was particularly striking with the gold, glitzy curtains and sparkle at every turn.
Disney’s Aladdin is an absolute must-watch for all ages and transports audiences to a whole new world through song, dance and acting. The musical is being performed at Manchester’s Palace Theatre until July 7 and tickets can be purchased here.