Aladdin at The Customs House: Hilarious, adorable and lots of fun

Going to watch the Christmas pantomime at The Customs House is certainly a festive tradition for those who have been born and raised in South Shields. 

I returned to the theatre for yet another year, to witness the magic once again, as The Customs House performed their 2023 Christmas production of Aladdin. 

I attended the show with my sister and two young nieces, as The Customs House always put on an excellent show for children, peppered with jokes for the adults to understand, making it a great event for all of the family. 

Aladdin was no exception to the brilliant pantomimes The Customs House produce year after year.

Retelling the beloved Disney classic, with their own South Shields humour sprinkled in, it was a fantastic show, with a magnificent, talented cast.

The beloved character Dame Bella Ballcock played by Ray Spencer brings the show together, accompanied by his new companion Dennis played by Glen Townsend. 

Glen, whose hilariously adorable character Dennis is loved by the children of South Shields has stepped up to take over Davey Hoppers’ (who previously played Arbuthnot for many years) sidekick role, and took to the main role with ease. 

Read South Tyneside's news on the go with our free email newsletters - bringing the headlines to your inbox. Catch up on the day's news and sport and enjoy even more from your Gazette. Visit our website here to find out more and sign up.

One of my favourite parts of the show was the Barbie-inspired section, which made me laugh out loud. From Dame Bella looking absolutely fantastic in Barbie’s cowgirl costume, to Dennis’ hilarious yet somehow emotional rendition of I’m Just Ken (or should I say Den). 

Dexter Greenwood and Reanna Sujeewon played the roles of Aladdin and Princess Amira, and were perfectly suited to the roles, each delivering their performance with the sickenly-sweet purpose of a loved-up pair. 

Stephen Lee Hamilton was also a favourite performer of mine, playing the villain role of Abanazar hilariously. His singing voice was also absolutely incredible!

Side characters included Alfie Joey as Emperor Saveloy The Dipped, Misha Malcom as The Genie, Shelley Nicholson as Spirit of the Ring, Kieron Michael as Meatball and Caitlin Fairlamb as Spaghetti - and all of them gave fantastic performances, really showcasing their talents. 

While Alfie Joey and Kieron Michael need to be applauded for stealing every scene they were in due to their comic timing and accent abilities, Shelley Nicholson also deserves recognition for her magic tricks and acrobatics. 

Everything from the comedy, the musical numbers and choreography could not be faulted. It was a wonderful show, and reminded me of exactly why I love to see a pantomime at The Customs House. 

Aladdin at The Customs House will run up until Saturday, January 6 2024.

For more information and to book tickets, please visit The Customs House website.