Wonders of Walsh

Dec 17 2008 By Mark Lundrigan, Surrey Herald

Yes, it's panto season again and no one does it like Woking. Loud, silly and very, very funny, Aladdin is one of the most entertaining productions in years.

After last year's Fonz-starring Peter Pan, entertainer Bradley Walsh had a hard act to follow, but from the moment he appeared as Aladdin's brother Wishee Washee, he had the audience in the palm of his hand.

Ad-libbing, interacting with the audience and generally being silly, Walsh, who is also writer and director, is the stand out on a production full of colour, music and flying carpets.

But it's not just a one-man show and Eric Potts, playing Aladdin's mum Widow Twankey, was also excellent, playing Hardy to Walsh's Laurel in most of the scenes they share.

In fact, the pair are such presences that scenes without them seem to be lacking something.

Neil Toon as Aladdin and Eloise Irving as Princess Jasmine play the romantic couple well, but it's Walsh and Potts the audience want to see.

And can there be a better villain in panto than Granville Saxton as Abanazar? The RADA-trained actor is well-suited on stage and gives a sneering and sometimes comedic performance of the evil man who wants Aladdin's lamp, often coming undone by Walsh's adlibbing.

The rest of the cast, including Graham James as The Emperor and Ben Goffe as The Genie, also have memorable lines and one of the songs involving Aladdin, Wishee-Washee, Widow Twankey and The Policeman is one of the funniest things you will see.

So Aladdin reigns supreme as one of the best pantos around and Walsh is definitely the star of the show. Oh yes he is! 

*  Aladdin is at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking, until January 11. For information on ticket prices, availability and how to book, visit www.theambassadors.com/woking