Aladdin at Camberley Theatre

Disclosure: We were invited to see this show for the purpose of this post however all opinions are my own.

Last week we were invited to the launch of Aladdin at Camberley Theatre and we could not wait. Seeing the annual panto at our local theatre is always a highlight of the festive season.

Aladdin at Camberley Theatre

We all know the story of Aladdin and I always wonder with classic stories how they can be made fresh for a new audience, despite us all being so familiar with what happens. But, you don’t need to worry about that with Aladdin at Camberley Theatre – you won’t have seen anything like it before!

The show starts with the evil sorcerer Abanazar, played by Kristian Maylor, setting the scene for the show – he’s in search of a lamp that will make all his wishes come true – with his aim to be master of the world! Throughout he is very much the bad guy, booed whenever he appeared in true panto fashion.

We meet Aladdin and his mum, Widow Twankey, who are a real double act throughout the show. Widow Twankey, played by Mark Slowey, is the classic pantomime dame, and her costumes are incredible! Whenever she appears on stage you know you’re in for a treat – and non-stop jokes too!

Everyone knows pantos are meant to be risque and this year Camberley Theatre have pushed the jokes to their limits. Most will go over children’s heads but, watching the show with a 12 and 14 year old was an experience. The kids definitely heard some new jokes at the panto this year!

Aladdin, played by Mike Carnell, is a real character throughout. He is the epitome of entertainment and the whole audience loved him. From finding the magic lamp and having wishes granted, to the classic panto lines and the extra fun of marshmallow eating and water pistol squirting, he gave it his all and it really showed. Mike was the highlight of the panto for us this year and it felt like he loved every minute of being on stage. He was a joy to watch.

The fairy godmother character in this panto is the Spirit of the Ring who appeared at regular intervals throughout the show, singing and dancing whilst using her magic to help the wearer of the ring in any ways she can. Played by Lucy Bradford, she starts off with Abanazar is his ring, until he lends the ring to Aladdin to aid his hunt for the magic lamp.

A panto wouldn’t be complete without a Princess and this year she is played by Anna Steele. Anna’s voice is absolutely incredible and she danced beautifully throughout the show. Her budding romance with Aladdin was heartwarming to watch unfold on stage and they made a really lovely pair – we really enjoyed their duets.

As you can see, Aladdin at Camberley Theatre had all the bits you’d expect from a panto – there were ‘he’s behind you, oh no he’s not’ moments as well as so many of the classic jokes and sketches we all know and love.

But, this year’s production has been taken up a level with added 3D effects! As we arrived we were given 3D glasses and told to keep hold of them for part of the second half – and when the time came we were ready!

This adds a new dimension, literally, to a classic panto and the whole audience loved it. I won’t give away any spoilers but it was a really fun addition to the show. The whole panto had so many special effects throughout, along with the fantastic genue, that the 3D aspect fitted in seamlessly and we all really enjoyed it.

And if that wasn’t enough, Ismail Khazli appeared at one point for a spot of gymnastics and stunts! We really weren’t expecting this but it was fantastic to watch and really added to the variety of the show. Aladdin at Camberley Theatre really had something for everyone this year.

Aladdin is a real adventure where you get to see Aladdin outsmart the villain, win the heart of the princess and everyone’s wishes come true. It’s the perfect dose of fun and laughs that everyone needs this festive season.

Adult Panto

On Saturday 27th December at 8pm Camberley Theatre are hosting a very special adult panto – for strictly over 18s only! With the show ramped up a notch for an adult audience this is bound to be a great way to celebrate the festive season with your friends or colleagues.

This year’s pantomime was the first one put on by Shone Productions rather than the in house team at Camberley Theatre so it was bound to be different for us and others who have seen the Camberley panto year after year. We did miss the familiar faces of previous years but still really enjoyed Aladdin at Camberley Theatre. It was different but still really fun, full of energy and a great night out in the run up to Christmas.

Aladdin is running at Camberley Theatre until 31st December 2025. Find out more and book tickets over on the Camberley Theatre website. For reference the theatre address is: Knoll Rd, Camberley GU15 3SY