BLUE Genie Entertainment have returned to another year at The Playhouse Whitley Bay, this year with Aladdin. As usual the fabulously entertaining Steve Walls return, this year as Wishee Washee. It’s clear that most of the audience return every year, but it’s down to the way that Steve Walls instantly gets the audience onside with his warm engaging personality making this panto such a hit.
The father and son comedy double act, Simmons and Simmons as the Chinese Policeman, have brilliant comic timing with great energy. Widow Twanky, Daniel Mawston, as always makes a brilliant Dame, he’s larger than life with great movement. Abanazer, Andrew Goddard is suitably evil. Aladdin, Chico Slimani, was instantly loved by the audience and they certainly played well on Chico Time, holding back until he finally went for it. They certainly know how to play the audience.
Of course, the audience were enthusiastically waiting for the appearance of the bench. A highlight for every panto here in Whitley Bay. They couldn’t wait for Ghostbusters to start, which is why, this panto is just like meeting old friends year after year.
The story is well constructed, with plenty of interaction, jokes for young and not so young and almost two and half hours of pure entertainment.
The entire cast and crew work incredibly hard, but two special mentions have to go to the Choreography by Jo Walls and the Dancers and Ensemble, especially Dance Captain, Mary Proud, such a delightful dancer.
Aladdin runs until 7th January 2023
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
