The annual pantomime at Circa can always be relied on for a rollicking good time during the festive season. This year’s panto, Roger Hall’s Aladdin, is a magical spectacular that will delight young and old.

Aladdin, the Pantomime is set in Arabee which is conveniently located at the top of Cuba Street. The Sultan’s daughter, Princess Jasmine, is about to turn 20 and her father tells her she must marry otherwise she will forever be a spinster.

Meanwhile, across town young Aladdin works as a delivery boy for his mother’s laundry business. When the two first meet at the palace it’s love at first sight, but there are a few obstacles in the way of them getting together – one being the evil Abanazar who is determined to get Jasmine for himself and needs to unearth a magic lamp in order to do it.

As always there is a dame, and Aladdin’s mother Widow Twankey – “no relation to John Key”, but bearing a slight resemblance to Polly from ZM – did not disappoint.  Things are humming away at her Twankey, Hankey and Pankey laundry business, but what she’s really after is a man – a very rich one. Once she discovers the perfume Irresistible, she realises that snaring herself a man just got a whole lot easier…

What follows is a whole lot of singing and dancing, exciting adventures, lots of laughs and silliness, a bit of romance and one nutty Genie granting wishes like they’re going out of fashion.

As is expected for a panto, there are plenty of opportunities to yell out ‘look out behind you!” and hiss the baddie as he plots his dastardly schemes, along with some audience participation for the kids.

It’s all good light-hearted fun, with plenty of cool visual effects and magic tricks to wow the little ones and enough jokes to keep the older audience members amused. “Sorry I’m late, my camel was towed!” was a favourite that had me giggling away.

It wouldn’t be a panto without topical jokes, so everything from daytime infomercials to the ghost chips ad gets a mention, along with a heap of rugby references (anyone would think we had just won a World Cup or something…).

And of course there are plenty of election jokes tossed in for good measure. Even ‘teapotgate’ gets a mention, which begs the question, what will happen after this Saturday? Will some of the jokes become less relevant? With any luck the political world will provide us with more scandal that can be included in the show.

The whole cast bring boundless energy to the stage and sing with gusto. As Widow Twankey, Gavin Rutherford pulls off the most commanding performance of the night and has some of the funniest lines – and the best dance moves.

So, what happens when Aladdin summons the Genie? Does Twankey find romance in the arms of the rich Sultan or the shy Grand Vizier? And most importantly, will good triumph over evil?

Yep, you guessed it… you’ll just have to go to find out.

Aladdin is on until 23 December at Circa Theatre, and returns from 3-14 January 2012.