Review: Aladdin – Grey Street, Centenary Room, Greyville Racecourse, Durban

THE adult panto has been part of Durban’s festive season fun for over two decades and this year’s offering, Aladdin – Grey Street, is packed full of double meanings, sexually suggestive props and some fabulous music.

Darren King’s script is hilarious and some of the lines simply genius.

The Genie of the Ring, played by Maritzburg’s Mpilo ‘Straw’ Nzimande (who played the title role in last year’s Sinderella), for example, explaining that his previous masters have included Hilter, Mugabe, Julius Malema and Jacob Zuma, tells the audience that ‘a huge fanfare of trumpets is usually followed by a small totalitarian’.

And Katy Moore, relishing her role as the baddie, Sultana, asks: “How can I be the most evil being in the land when I have Parliament to compete with.” But my favourite are the lines given to Widow Twanky, who at one point says to Jasmine: “You’re a mirror ball short of a gay disco.”

Instead of the mysterious East, this version of Aladdin is set in Durban’s Grey Street, home to Widow Twanky, played by adult panto legend, Anthony Stonier, in a series of teeny dresses.

Twanky owns the Blow Your Load Laundry, which she runs with the help of the lecherous Watch-Mi-Wanky, played by Thomie Holtzhausen, who channels his inner Elvis.

But this happy state of affairs is threatened by the Sultana, who wants to take over Grey Street and marry off her slightly dim and rather hairy niece, Princess Jasmine (Rowan Bartlett), off to someone from the Bluff.

TQ Zondi, who makes his adult panto debut, plays the title role. His Aladdin, a young man with a huge ‘destiny’, is smitten with Jasmine from the moment he sees her – and their scenes together are amongst the funniest in the show.

Desperate to win Jasmine’s heart, Aladdin agrees to help the Sultana retrieve a lamp from the Cave of Wonders, but when it becomes clear that she is not going to help him out the cave, he refuses to hand over the lamp and she seals him inside.

But with the help of the Genie of the Ring and the Genie of the Lamp (East Coast Radio’s Darren Maule) he escapes from the cave laden with treasure.

So, will true love win the day? Or will the Sultana he her hands on the lamp? Well, you’ll have to book tickets and see, won’t you? Oh yes you will!

As always, the panto offers audiences some great music. Moore performs I’d like to hate myself in the morning (previously sung by Shirley Bassey and Judy Garland), Zondi and Bartlett’s deliver a duet of Something Stupid, and there great renditions of That Old Black Magic, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Up where we belong, Dance Some More, and Stonier delivers a showstopping performance of Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me).

So, if you’re looking for a fun evening out this festive season, my advice is simple: head down to Greyville Racecourse and join the cast of Aladdin – Grey Street – and don’t forget to leave your inhibitions at the door!

Estelle Sinkins

NEED TO KNOW

Aladdin – Grey Street runs in the Centenary Room, Greyville Racecourse until December 30 with performances from Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30 pm and extra shows on Saturdays at 2 pm. The doors open 90 minutes before the show for dining.

There is a wide selection of dining options, corporate packages and a full bar service. Tickets range from R130 to R170 and booking is at Computicket and Shoprite and Checkers stores. Please note: the show is rated PG16.

For all details and personalised party or charity bookings contact Ailsa on 083 250 2690 or editor.goingplacessa@gmail.com