Aladdin dazzles every bit as much as genie's lamp

WHEN the air is frigid and the pavements sparkle with frost, the chance to be whisked away to the Arabian desert sounds like more than you could wish for.

- ANDY PHILLIPS

But the arrival of Disney’s Aladdin to Theatre Royal Plymouth does more than just fulfil the desire to escape for a night, with a production that dazzles every bit as much as the fabled genie’s lamp.

It is more than 30 years since Disney released their animated fantasy comedy, but just as the 1992 movie was a buffed-up version of an Arabic folktale, the latest theatre production repackages the same storyline, albeit with even more bling – and lots more jokes.

A theatre production featuring classic songs such as Arabian Nights, A Whole New World and Friend Like Me, it has already been seen by more than 14 million people worldwide and featured on Broadway and London’s West End.

But while the storyline might be well known, there is plenty which makes the production stand out as a jewel in its own right.