Aladdin opens in Melbourne next week

Disney’s blockbuster musical Aladdin is preparing to commence performances in Melbourne this weekend, Gabi Bergman writes…

“Agrabah. City of flying carpets, soaring heroes, famous love ballads and more glitz and glamour than any other fictional city in the world…”

The Genie’s opening lines of Aladdin the Musical could not describe it more aptly.

The much loved 1992 Disney film Aladdin was adapted into a stage show in 2011, and has been met with acclaim around the world. There’s something immensely enjoyable about the rags-to-riches tale, and with the killer creative team of Alan Menken, Tim Rice, Howard Ashman and Chad Beguelin, the musical adds even more wonder to an already wonderful story.

I was fortunate enough to see the show during its Sydney season, and even with the incredible, dazzling performances on display, I left the theatre with one thing on my mind – how on Earth did they make that carpet fly?

(I kept telling myself there were some secret wires, some crazy contraption hoisting the carpet up – but even after witnessing Aladdin and Jasmine literally flying across the stage, I still couldn’t figure it out.)

It was all I could think about for weeks. Every conversation about Aladdin was loaded with the question “how?”.

I still don’t know, and to be honest, I don’t really want to. Words cannot express how it feels to see that carpet fly. It’s a true example of the magic of theatre.

Fans of the film will notice some subtle adjustments to the story for the sake of theatricality, but there is absolutely no disappointment there. New characters like Babkak, Omar and Kassim provide hysterical comedic relief as Aladdin’s posse, and the titular character’s new song ‘Proud of Your Boy’ is a beautifully crafted and executed number. The performances of the entire cast are strong and the set and costumes are truly worthy of Prince Ali in their brilliance.

So, go see it for yourself! See if you can figure out the magic of the magic carpet. Stay one jump ahead of the rest by booking your tickets now!

Aladdin commences performances on April 15 at Her Majesty’s Theatre. Book tickets here