Aladdin

Graduate Dramatic Society's Aladdin, written by Stephen Quinn and directed by his alter ego Stephen Lee, shows a true understanding of the pantomime genre and is the closest thing you will find in Australia to true British pantomime.

Melissa Kiiveri, I imagined, would be too sweet and pretty to be an ideal principal boy — but her Aladdin is cute, boyish and earnest and she has a natural vulnerability that makes her Aladdin very endearing, while Grace Edwards makes a beautiful and likeable Princess.

Kate O'Sullivan is a lovely 'valley-girl style', reluctant Genie. Jarrod Buttery was hirsute and gruff in the dame role, filling in nicely at short notice for an ill Barry Park.

New-to-Perth James Parker is an excellent 'gorgeous but thick' Wishee Washee who makes a lovely cub to Lis Hoffman as So Shi's cynic turned cougar.

Working wonderfully against Aladdin are a fantastically villainous Grant Malcolm as Abanazar, an elegantly evil Kerri Hilton as the amazingly coutured Empress Of China and a convincing Jonathan Beckett as The Grand Vizier. Jennifer van den Hoek and Judd Milner round out the principal cast as the bumbling Ping and Pong.

There were some interesting innovations. At each performance a different school or drama group makes a guest appearance in Aladdin's cave in a fun dream sequence. I had the pleasure of seeing Darlington Primary School and Sawyers Valley Primary School over two performances and both performed well. St Norbert College, Methodist Ladies' College and West Byford Primary School also furnished performances. Chinese Dancing by the Chung Wah Dance Group added a beautiful sequence to the second act. Santa Claus made a beautifully attired appearance at the Curtain Call.

A keen chorus, with the vast majority being very young, played the people of Peking. They show great enthusiasm if not always perfect execution and there are some talented individuals in the mix.

While the singing isn't always perfect — the atmosphere is excellent and a great time is had by all. A very worthy Christmas treat.

Kimberley Shaw

Photographer: Arnold Wong.