On arrival from the vaults of its car park, the massive multilevel foyer of the Fairfield Halls in London‘s Borough Of Culture 2023 Croydon is breathtakingly busy. People in Christmas hats and jumpers take family pictures on almost every corner, in front of fairy light curtains, on stairs and the funky Christmas trees crowned with disco balls, enhanced by rainbow clavilux. Stalls sell frozen drinks, ice cream and glowing toys expected to be wielded by younger theatre goers all evening. None for me today, I have been equipped by my little fellow reviewers with snap light bracelets and even a ring; this will bring applauding to a very different level. It will indeed!
This evening the venue hosts two shows on its stages: While an inclusive production about a Pinocchio who is happy as he is and does not want to be turned into a real boy is of high interest (also given the fact that most performers are disabled), we are here for the pantomime Aladdin. Sigh: The day before this little stageblog went life I went to my first panto (Sleeping Beauty in Windsor as you asked), and admittedly I have avoided it since, bare the adult panto Tinderella on a girls’ night out. Adult panto did not become part of my advent routine.
It helps that I am with very enthusiastic panto fans tonight who are glad we are going in the evening and not during the day, simply because the jokes will be naughtier. A panto hack to remember. The kids love panto because it is funny, the adults because it can be filthy and because, other than some blown up musical productions, panto does not pretend to be anything else than a silly feel-good laugh, and everything else beyond is an appreciated addition. Fair point, especially that panto has not appeared to me so far as humble but loud and bright. And the panto pros even help me out with the cast which is a mix of local celebrities, ex-soap stars and kids TV presenters (another panto tradition) – here I really rely on my tribe.
Once we have made it to our seats through the maze of stairs and doors, there is no escape from jolly noises: Around us children play, scream, laugh, pose, demand wee-wees and sweets and lap dinners, and luckily I know that the back of my seat will be kicked more often by tiny shoes than on a Ryanair flight to Lamezia Terme. It’s expected and guaranteed, but happily share your panto hack on how to minimise this in the comments. On the other hand, we are here because no panto is complete without this sentence: “He’s behind you”.
Of course the princess is called Jasmine but otherwise Fairfield Halls has proudly not lent too much from the famous Disney adaptation of Aladdin‘s stage or cartoon production, and even honours the story’s original settings in China. Amongst jinni, magic rings and their spirits, a walking mummy and rephrased Monkees, Abba and Coldplay songs, we admire a flying carpet powered by projection art magic, and are reminded while panto is popular especially with those whose birthday are in December. And that by now Croydon kids refer to themselves even in their own borough as being from… England.
Pantomime is an English Christmas stable – and Aladdin here at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon is ticking off everything the panto bingo chart requests: The drag dame, the innuendos and whoopee cushion sound effects, the joy of silliness and cheesy pop songs, the shameless booing of the baddy and everything else up to the same catchphrase in every production in every theatre up and down the country. And that is why people go. Every year. But for first time theatre goers and even for more frequent theatre goers like me, here to give panto another chance: Two and a half hours is very long. No it isn’t, I hear you say. Yes, it is. Touche, stalls and circles are roaring at the finale, even though my nine year old theatre buddy whispers: “That’s not really like a real royal wedding”. Now I am the one laughing out loud. To quote the front of house (which is maybe the most welcoming staff I met at any theatre all year): Have a merry crimbo everyone!
**** out of 5 stars
Aladdin ran until early January 2024, tickets from £16.50
The panto scheduled for next year in Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs.
Sadie takes the Stage 
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