Aladdin

Celebrity cameos and cringing at awful jokes are mandatory in the traditional British Panto. Hammed up so mercilessly what should be terrible becomes good – unfortunately this is a complete disaster. The cameos are, as expected, wooden. But so to are the rest of the performances. The rehearsals and multiple retakes of TV show how it is technology rather than acting skill which has put so many "stars" on our silver screen. "Griff Rhys-Jones " (qv) is one notable exception in his small role, as are two of the major characters: "Martin Clunes" (qv) as the evil Abanazer and "John Savident" (qv), as Widow Twankey, is proper Dame