What’s On: Aladdin, Lighthouse Poole

FLYING carpets and magical genies will delight as Lighthouse Poole’s festive panto Aladdin flies into town next month.

This year panto ‘genie-us’ and CBeebies star Chris Jarvis has returned to write and direct, as well as starring as Widow Twankey.

With breathtaking special effects by production designer James Smith and pop hits expertly executed by musical supervisor Darren Reeves, Aladdin promises to be another high-flying traditional pantomime with a lamp-load of laughter, stunning scenery and beautiful costumes.

West End actor Benjamin Armstrong makes his panto debut in the title role of this year’s show, and TV personality and top model Melinda Messenger – who recently appeared in Channel 4’s gruelling reality show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins – will play the Spirit of the Ring.

Meanwhile Andrew Pollard and Alim Jadavji, who won a Panto Award for last year’s show Cinderella, are returning to Poole to play the villain Professor Pocus and Genie of the Lamp respectively.

Ionica Adriana will play Princess Jasmine, and former New Forest Players child star Josh Haberfield will be comic character Wishee-Washee.

Josh, who studied drama at Poole’s Jellicoe Theatre, last appeared at Lighthouse in 2019 as drummer Jerry Allison in the Buddy Holly Story and has been back on the road in the same show this year. He is currently appearing in Channel 5’s Mimi’s World on Milkshake TV as Joe.

Excited at the prospect of what will be a hometown run in panto, he says: “I can’t wait to be performing back on my old stomping ground this panto season at Lighthouse in Poole.”

Tickets are on sale now at www.lighthousepoole.co.uk, or call 01202 280000.

Aladdin opens on Thursday 7th December and runs until New Year’s Eve with tickets available now from £15, but we’ve teamed up with Lighthouse Poole to give away one family ticket in this week’s What’s On competition – see page 24.