Aladdin: The Pantomime
16-18 Jan
In hot pursuit of their ‘Diamond Gems’ sixtieth anniversary celebration, tireless Twyford Drama are already busy preparing magical sets, rhythmic dances, colourful costumes and a host of unique pyrotechnics for their annual January pantomime in 2026.
This year, ‘panda-monium’ is about to break out at Loddon Hall, as Twyford Drama set to stage Ben Crocker’s hilarious traditional pantomime, ‘Aladdin’. Peter King, who has directed and appeared in many of Twyford’s plays and pantomimes over the years, will be directing it; this will be his seventh panto as a director.
‘Aladdin’ boasts the usual plethora of traditional panto characters, which include: a conniving wicked sorcerer, Abanazar; an amiable street urchin protagonist, Aladdin; a man-mad melodramatic mother, Widow Twankey; and a ravishing-yet lonely- Princess, Jasmine. The action even features a loveable, mischievous panda called Nobby. Mischief, magic and mayhem enmesh in a hilarious adventure as Aladdin’s family strive to thwart Abanazar.
Join Aladdin and his friends as, under the influence of the wicked Abanazer, he searches for a magic lamp. Will Abanazer succeed with his evil scheme, or will the ‘goodies’ win the day? Will Widow Twankey’s laundry be a complete washout? Will the Genie of the Lamp and the Genie of the Ring combine in a show of absolute genius? Can Wishee Washee, Aladdin’s half-witted brother, wish upon a star?
Do join us in this entertaining panto classic and bring along your friends and family. Let’s let the genie out of the lamp! This challenging and lively production takes place in January 2026, with performances at 7.45pm on Friday 16th, 2pm and 7pm on Saturday 17th, and 2pm on Sunday 18th.
Panto Progress...
Word from Director, Peter King (3 November,2025)
The work of an amateur drama group never stops. No sooner had we finished our 60th anniversary show, 'Diamond Gems', than we were auditioning for the next production, in this case, our annual pantomime 'Aladdin'. There are as many different scripts for 'Aladdin' as there are leaves on the trees! Our particular one has been written by Ben Crocker, the genius behind our panto in 2024, 'Treasure Island'.
Invitations went out for a readthrough of the script plus auditions, but as director, it is a nervous time because you never know how many will turn up, especially after a huge show like 'Gems'. I was delighted to see how many people actually came along, including a number of potential new members. And so the cast was chosen- an extremely difficult task-, both principal characters and the all-important chorus.
However, it does not end there! The workshop, where much of the new set will be built and painted, needed to be cleared of 'Gems' residue and made ready for a new beginning.We are fortunate to have a very good team of backstage staff. Our talented backdrop painters are able to accomplish just the right perspective and vision for their audiences. In addition, our team of builders, led by our stage manager, Bill Evans, will be creating the mystical cave where Aladdin finds the magic lamp and the genie, and sound and lighting will be designed and matched to the stage action by Ollie Heath and Paul Robinson.
Music is an important part of any panto. I had spent a long time trying to select the right songs for the show. I like to blend modern with older music in an attempt to appeal to all ages. In this case we're blending Little Mix with George Formby! Coupled with this, dance choreography is being created by our expert choreographer, Crissie Field, and routines are being learned in tandem with song lyrics.
And so rehearsals, set building and choreography begin. I do hope that you are able to come and enjoy our show.
- Peter King, Director
Progress Report (2 Jan 2026)
Rehearsals for ‘Aladdin’ are continuing with verve as Twyford Drama approaches their January panto production. The principal characters are refining their performances and the chorus of dancers and singers, under the direction of our skilful, enthusiastic choreographer Crissie Field, are progressing well, having already mastered both lyrics and movements.
Work on the set is in its final stages, under the watchful eye of Bill Evans, our highly experienced Stage Manager. This task involves complex scenery design and construction as well as copious painting by our dedicated team of talented set builders and artists. It is a huge task and the group is delighted that Bill has taken on the management of this once again.
As you can probably imagine, a panto relies on being a colourful spectacle and once again our creative wardrobe team of Hazel Evans and Marilyn McClelland have been busy sorting, adjusting and, where necessary, manufacturing costumes.
Panto is nothing without music; James Field has been drawing on his usual combination of musical and technical strengths, working hard to create both lively music and evocative sound effects. Meanwhile our skilled lighting team of Ollie Heath and Paul Robinson have assiduously planned atmospheric lighting to fully enhance the stage action.
It is fair to say that there is a huge amount of work that needs to be undertaken in order to put this, and any, panto on the stage. Twyford Drama have a fabulous team, both on stage and behind the scenes; see for yourselves how the individual components above are, with the help of our efficient backstage crew, magically pieced together to create what seems like a magnificent, cohesive panto puzzle upon the stage. What a way to mark the start of 2026 and a new year of community drama in Twyford! I am indebted to everyone involved and would like to thank them all.
Do come and witness Twyford Drama’s pantomime ‘genie-us’ for yourselves at Loddon Hall on Friday 16th January at 7.45pm, Saturday 17th January at 2pm and 7 pm, and Sunday 18th January at 2 pm. It is the kind support of our audiences which enables our local community drama group to flourish and entertain. Let the magic of the lamp shine and light up 2026!
- Peter King, Director
In rehearsal...
