Aladdin comes to Melbourne!

The Little Mermaid and Lady and the Tramp were my first introductions into the magical world of Disney. I was so hooked and wishing I could be part of their world, that seeing my delight, my Mum promptly surprised me with my very first fashion doll which was of course, Ariel. Ever since then I’ve been hooked!

Today I am still just as in love with Disney, and embarrassingly even cried seeing the Disney parade at Disneyland California! Having lost my childhood Ariel doll, I cherish my new Ariel doll my sisters brought home for me from Disneyland Paris, and one of my cats is aptly named Ariel.

Australia has been lucky with Disney bringing their musical magic to our theatres. I was thrilled to see The Lion King when the musical toured in 2015, I had my popcorn ready to see Beauty and the Beast the minute it was released in cinemas and I jumped online to purchase tickets the second I knew Aladdin was coming to Melbourne!

Performed at the stately Her Majesty’s Theatre, Aladdin was a feast for the eyes with amazing costumes by Gregg Barnes, brilliant lighting by Natasha Katz and mesmerizing set design by Bob Crowley. I was left spellbound by the glitter, sequins and magic carpet that seemed to fly by itself over the whole stage (how did they do this!?)!

The showstopper was of course Genie’s song, You’ve Never Had A Friend Like Me, portrayed by the immensely talented Michael James Scott. He stole the show with his astounding triple threat capabilities! He teased the audience with his comedic stand-up routine, had everyone enthralled with his jazz singing and glitzy dancing and people were in fits of laughter at his impersonations and game show host style monologue.

Interestingly, Jafar’s evil sidekick, Iago (Aljin Abella), was quite literally personified, replaced with a human character rather than keeping to the cartoon parrot of the film. Abu, Aladdin’s pet monkey in the film, was also altered for the musical, with three human stooge-like sidekicks taking Abu’s place (Adam-Jon Fiorentino as Kassim, Troy Sussman as abkak, and Robert Tripolino as Omar). These storyline changes were transitioned flawlessly and all these supporting roles had the audience in fits of laughter.

The strength of the supporting cast, saw the leads pale slightly in comparison. Princess Jasmine (Hiba Elchikhe) and Aladdin (Ainsley Melham) were both sound vocally however they lacked the larger energy the other cast members had. They gave a reliable performance, allowing the other elements of the show to lift the musical to an unforgettably entertaining level.

Aladdin the Broadway musical overall was fantastic and I recommend it for everyone whether you’re a musical lover, Disney fan or someone who enjoys a laugh!