Aladdin

ALADDIN
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice & Chad Beguelin
Directed by Casey Nicholaw
Starring Ainsely Melham, Michael James Scott, Arielle Jacobs

Disney’s latest Broadway adaptation has made it to the Capitol Theatre, this production proving just as much of a spectacle as the original.

This version comes replete with astounding stagecraft and a couple of its precursor’s brightest American stars, and though many of its new additions are competent rather than instantly classic, it’s a visual extravaganza that always puts entertainment first.

You know the story – street rat Aladdin (Ainsley Melham) falls in love with the Princess Jasmine (Arielle Jacobs) in the ancient city of Agrabah, befriends a genie (Michael James Scott) and battles against the villainous vizier Jafar (Adam Murphy) in his quest to win Jasmine’s heart.

The most notable difference is the absence of animal characters: this ain’t no Lion King. Iago (Aljin Abella) is no longer a parrot but a raucous pantaloon-clad clown, while Al’s monkey companion Abu has been replaced with three human friends, Babkak (Troy Sussman), Omar (Robert Tripolino) and Kassim (Adam-Jon Fiorentino). Outside of that, the adaptation takes an admirable stab at cultural progression without breaking form, changing lines to focus less on Jasmine’s appearance and more on her inherent qualities (and potential equalities).

Melham’s Aladdin has a certain New York swagger that means he and his boys would be comfortable in West Side Story. It’s all part of the writers’ efforts to place the fictional Agrabah in a location less specific, though prepare yourself for an onslaught of Middle Eastern food puns courtesy of Babkak. Casey Nicholaw’s production is all about old and new, but the new can often feel superfluous, as when Aladdin evokes his dead mother in ‘Proud Of Your Boy’ for that extra serving of feels.

Then there’s the Genie, a brand new beast for good reason. Scott borrows less from Robin Williams than he does from Titus Burgess, leaning into Broadway camp to spectacular effect. The production pulls out all the stops for him in ‘A Friend Like Me’, but Scott shines throughout.

That said, Agrabah does lose something when it falls still, in the rare moments the choreography dips and we’re left with lone singers. Perhaps its just more noticeable given the resplendent stagecraft on show.

Ultimately, Aladdin delivers everything it says on the tin – a kick of warm nostalgia and a sugar rush from all the eye candy. Disney’s big budget staging is a marvel, and often overshadows their less successful efforts at keeping the material current. They know well that the real winners here are those reliving their very first magic carpet ride.

★★★☆

Aladdin is on now at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney.

Post originally printed in The BRAG; available at http://www.thebrag.com/arts/aladdin-0

Photo credit: Deen van Meer