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![Give Us Your Feedback](/staticarchive/deb2a9c3a3543574cf6df889f8791f8ca4795858.gif) | ![tiny](/staticarchive/5ea3e7590d674d9be4582cc6f6c8e86070157686.gif) | Aladdin at the Belgrade Theatre, reviewed by site user Sarah Boden from Coventry.
It's almost an expectation now that, upon arrival in the auditorium, the Belgrade Theatre greets you with a spectacular and grand set, and this year was no exception.
We were greeted by the Genie's home on ourleft and ancient Egypt on your right... and it tells you only one thing - it's panto time again!
![quote start](/staticarchive/0fd93ac9bd229df17b2cf71c3432c1796ca968d7.gif) The costumes and set were just magnificent - there's no other way to describe them
![quote end](/staticarchive/cf83633c621746a439c23c3141ed5554abc25c1f.gif) | 听 | Reviewer Sarah Boden.
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This year's chosen subject is Aladdin, the classic tale of a poor boy who falls in love with a grand princess. The only trouble is, her father doesn't approve of them marrying.
So when Uncle Abanazar turns up, Aladdin is only too willing to try and find the treasure his Uncle promises him in return for an old lamp - because if he is rich, he can marry the princess.
However, this is panto, and nothing is as simple as it seems!
听 | ![Aladdin graphic for The Belgrade Christmas panto](/staticarchive/9f2b1c9ed0911d1af9eec5c92dc300081887ef05.jpg) | Eastern magic in Aladdin at The Belgrade
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And simple the show certainly wasn't. The costumes and set were just magnificent - there's no other way to describe them. It's worth going to the show just to see those!
Fine Time Fontayne soon had the audience on his side as evil Abanazar and Andy Hockley warmed to his part as Widow Twankey as the show progressed. The whole show picked up significantly in the second half.
By the middle of act two it was rolling along at a cracking pace, and the volume of the audience participation reflected this!
![quote start](/staticarchive/0fd93ac9bd229df17b2cf71c3432c1796ca968d7.gif) I thoroughly enjoyed myself and if you're looking for a night out, where the whole family will have a great time, you can't go far wrong by going to the Belgrade this Christmas
![quote end](/staticarchive/cf83633c621746a439c23c3141ed5554abc25c1f.gif) | 听 | Reviewer Sarah Boden
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My main feeling was that, in the first half in particular, the audience sometimes struggled to follow the story over the endless quips and the attempts at developing a catchphrase didn't quite work for me.
But the children around us loved it and I thought I might go deaf at one point as the little girl sitting behind me was shouting so loudly!
Be warned - the show is long (three hours from start to finish). Also, the show just lacked that bit of sparkle I was looking for - but that may well have been because it was opening night. It will undoubtedly develop and grow as the run progresses.
Saying all this I thoroughly enjoyed myself and if you're looking for a night out, where the whole family will have a great time, you can't go far wrong by going to the Belgrade this Christmas.
For information and tickets, follow the link on the left to The Belgrade Theatre website.
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