Panto time for Wayfarers: "This year you will believe Aladdin can fly"

The Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton will be the stage foe the pantomime society’s version of Aladdin from January 7 to 13.

During these performances, they will perform in front more than 3,000 people and leave all of them they hope delighted with what they have seen.

Chairman of the Wayfarers, Martin Howe is delighted the society is putting on what can be described as a ‘traditional panto’ full of as he says ‘big musical numbers, laughter and jokes’.

This will be the Wayfarers Pantomime Society’s 49th panto since they were formed in 1962, primarily as a group which went out and about to village halls doing skits and shows.

The first time the society decided to take the plunge, oh yes they did, was in 1969 when they took to the stage to do their first panto which was Dick Whittington.

Now they have picked Aladdin as the panto which they think will captivate the audiences in 2018.

The show is bursting with laughter, song and dance.

The panto-famous Widow Twankey leads the laughs and is less than ably assisted by her son, Wishee Washee.

Not to be outdone in the laughter stakes are local policemen Yu-Dun-Wong and Hu- Dun-Pong.

As the story unfolds, will Aladdin get the better of the evil Abanazar?

Will he get the hand of the beautiful Princess Mandarin?

Or will her father, the Emperor, have something to say about this?

Looking after good and Aladdin is the Spirit of the Ring, while the Genie of the Lamp is all powerful and so cool with it!

There are plenty of songs and high energy dance routines, interspersed with copious amounts of humour. Combine this with a love story, great characters and a wish or three.

This pantomime as it is traditional is set in China and not as the Disney film version is in the Middle East.

Martin Howe said: “We have got a very talented bunch.

“They are having a good time during rehearsals and everyone is having a good time even though it is intense.

“The pantomime is full of innuendos, local jokes, something for the adults to enjoy and something for the kids plus plenty of musical numbers.

“I am involved in front of house but every time I have seen the rehearsals I have laughed at the jokes every time “We will perform 10 shows which would equate to 350 people per performance and this adds up to 3,500 over the ten day period.

“The Brewhouse is very support of us and we hope this year we will draw a larger audience than we did last year “We should have sold about 75 per cent of tickets just after Christmas before we start.

“Even though this is an amateur production it will cost us £39,000 to put the show on.

“This is not village hall stuff and this year you will believe Aladdin can fly.”

Wayfarer’s Aladdin 2018 Cast List:

Aladdin: Jennifer Holland-Brewer

Wishee Washee: Dan Woodmason

Widow Twankey: Chris Holman

Princess Mandarin: Hannah Carolan

So-Shy: Lucy Clapham

The Emperor: Jim Newman

Yu-Dun-Wong: Ben Dunton

Hu-Dun-Pong: Sarah Lock

Abanazar: Andy Cooper

Spirit of the ring: Abby Newman

Genie of the Lamp: Reece Tingley

Special appearance by Baby Tingley

Chorus

Helen Coombes (Feature Dancer), Ruth Ferizi, Anna Howe, Gemma Lock (Feature Dancer), Rebecca Santiago, Cassie Sutton (Feature Dancer), Esme Knight (Senior TWYG), Francesca Sandy (Senior TWYG), Poppy Ferizi (Senior TWYG), Rebecca Dunbar-Wells Dancers Hannah Baker, Amy Chapman (Senior TWYG), Emma Knight, Kizzy Preece, Eve Whyborn, Charlotte Whyborn Junior Twygs Mimi Wilson, Nicole Heritage, Kirsty Newman, Phoebe Mason-Walshall, Emily Uff, Hetty Preece, Gracie-Lou Marshall.

Looking ahead to next year, 2019, Martin added: “We are trying to be innovative and want to add an extra dimension to what we are doing.

“This is our 49th pantomime and in 2019 for our 50th we will be doing the Snow Queen.

“We are hoping we can get a good deal of support for our 50th show as it will be something special.”

Tickets for Aladdin by the Wayfarers Pantomime Society cost from £11.

Buy online at thebrewhouse.net or call the box office on 01823 283244.