Great Family Fun – Aladdin at the Corn Hall

Posted on 22nd December 2017

As the first year of the newly refurbished Corn Hall draws to a close, it seems only fitting that the occasion be marked with resolutely old fashioned Pantomime. Handsomely staged and dressed, Aladdin brought songs, dance and more than a little silliest to Diss, delighting young and old alike.

Among a uniformly assured cast, Jon Hughes brought a touch of Frankie Howard to the role of Widow Twankey, Amy Little showcased a fine singing voice, high-fiving Daniel Mack-Shand was the kids favourite, while Lizzie Stanley demonstrated a remarkable talent for puppetry. It was, however, Lee Peck who looked to be having the most fun, doubling up as both Abanazar the singularly ineffectual villain, and Princess Jasmine’s father, a man with quite the worst false beard since records began.

With the traditional elusive bogeyman, a rousing sing-along and some grand costume changes from the Widow, Tom Beard’s script ticked all the Panto boxes. While there were occasion nods to the old folk (anyone over ten) in the audience with a smattering of jokes about Trump and Brexit, the company knew who their real audience were and played to it, resulting in a cacophony of shrill approval from the children.