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 | North East Post Weekend Edition |
Sharon Cain
Lifestyle & Leisure Editor
12:00 AM 20th October 2025
arts
Not To Be Missed: Aladdin With A Tyneside Twist
Oh Yes they are! The cast of Aladdin. Image by Newcastle Theatre Royal
Set in the Royal the Royal Kingdom of Pantomania – oh yes it is! – a host of fairytale characters promise to serve up a seasonal feast of fun to brighten the gloomiest of winter days.
No spoilers - except to say that a wonderful offering of mayhem with wicked witches and dancing geese colliding with a magical flying carpet are on the menu.
This year marks a major milestone for local favourites, father-and-son act, Danny Adams, who plays Aladdin, and Clive Webb, who takes on the role of Mr Twankey.
The duo celebrates two decades as the stars of the Theatre Royal’s renowned pantos. In line with the occasion, they joined the cast for an exclusive unveiling of their costumes and to look back on an extraordinary legacy as the North East’s most beloved panto duo.
The pair were joined by panto dame Chris Hayward who plays the ever-glamorous Mother Goose, complete with starched frock and feathered bonnet. Local singer-songwriter Joe McElderry flew in as ‘The Spirit of the Ring’ with sparkle-frosted wings and a satin lavender two-piece.
The costume-clad line-up was completed by audience favourites Mick Potts, who modelled a tall, pointed hat and sparkly suit as the majestic Genie of the Lamp, and Wayne Smith in a heavy regal robe as Old King Cole.
The cast also include West-End stars Rachel Stanley as The Wicked Witch, and Billie-Kay as Princess Jemima.
Every year we say we can’t wait for panto to start, but this year, with it being our 20th anniversary and with it being a completely new twist on Aladdin with a Northeast and Newcastle feel, it’s going to be fantastic.
We’re so grateful to have such great audiences who embrace the panto every time we do it. There’s no place in the country like Newcastle for pantomime. For our style of comedy, the daft and silly slapstick, the Geordies are the best audience, they’re the daftest people around – in the best possible way.
To mark the special occasion,Newcastle Theatre Royal has extended the run of this year’s panto by one week. This enables the show to run for eight weeks, ensuring that more people can be part of the magic.
Director Michael Harrison of Crossroads Pantomimes, who grew up watching pantomimes as a child at Newcastle Theatre Royal, will also celebrate his 20th year as producer and creator of the theatre’s pantomimes.
In the adage that we are all children at heart, I personally can’t wait for a madcap evening of belly laughter galore, being hoarse from shrieking – and so much more!