"Aladdin Jr" by LEOS Youth Group.

Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton.

"Who would pay to see people singing and dancing?" is one of the lines in this show, and I can answer that; anyone who loves great entertainment like this show. The NODA Award winning Youth Group are back with another magical production.

The story is one that we all know about Aladdin's stroke of luck with the magic lamp and finding his Princess Jasmine, but not without a few obstacles that are placed in his way. This incredible, and young cast, just bring the story to life before your very eyes, they had me smiling within the first five minutes of the curtains opening.

Aladdin is played by Quillen Parker, and I am so pleased to see Quillen rise from the ensemble of previous shows to playing a main role. You don't get to experience anyone's vocals properly in an ensemble but in a main role you do. This young man has a very strong, and surprisingly mature set of vocal chords on him, and I loved the controlled vibrato he has. Quillen, like his brother, is a triple threat as he has a great voice, is a brilliant actor and can dance as well. He has charisma as the would be Prince and is extremely expressive in his actions and his looks. A wonderful Aladdin.

Princess Jasmine is played by Alice Whitaker. Like Quillen, Alice has also risen from the ensemble ranks to main character status. Jasmine is a modern woman who wants to be able to make up her own mind about who she marries, and Alice brings girl power to the stage as Jasmine. I love Alice's voice, which I'd not really noticed before, with her being in the ensemble previously.

The Genie is played by someone who I've been a fan of for a while now, Quillen's big brother, Findlay Parker. Findlay is a showman and brings a certain razzamatazz to the show as the exuberant Genie. Another triple threat who also has a brilliant set of lungs on him, and in this production, shows off his dancing skills. 

The Sultan is played by Tristan Bromley who I can't remember seeing before, but if this young man is a newbie, local theatre has a new talent on their hands. He looks completely at ease on stage and he has a natural delivery and stage presence.

 Ivan Hager plays Jafar, and shows just how much fun playing a baddie can be, especially when you get "boos" at the final bows, showing what a great job he did. Another ensemble performer who I'm so pleased to take on a major part, and such a character driven major part. Deliciously nasty, you get the feeling from the stage that Ivan enjoys playing the baddie, along with his sidekick, Iago.

Iago is played by another young man who draws your attention to him on stage, Tom Lightbown, who we last saw playing Slim in the Youth Group's production of "Oklahoma" in February of this year. Iago is a great fun character, who would love to be as nasty as Jafar, and Tom is perfect for this fun role.

Prince Abdullah, one of Princess Jasmine's suitors who can't deal with the independently minded Jasmine, is played by Finn Cliff, another young man who has moved up from the previous show's ensemble to play this Prince. You'll also spot him in this ensemble as well. Another confident performer.

Aladdin's faithful trio of friends were played by Katie Whitaker (Babkak), Roisin Parker (Omar) and Bella Syson (Kassim). great fun to watch all three of these in action and they sound great as a trio as well.

Likewise are Jasmine's trio of Neve Johnson (Isir), Niamh Lee (Manal) and Nefeli Fryganioti (Rajah).

A young man who has a very powerful voice is Abraham Collishaw who projects really well as the "Spooky Voice", as well as playing Razoul.

The Palace Attendants are played by Maddi Woodland and Elizabeth Rippin.

The Guards are played by Chloe Cresswell and Niamh Syson.

Grace Agius is the Fortune Teller, Eliza Garavan is the Apple Vendor and Francesca squire is the Shop Owner.

The Beggars are played by Holly Brooks, Jess Peel and Jess Chatten.

The rest of the ensemble parts are played by Emily Dexter, Ella Charlesworth, Lucy Gordon and Lucy Coulson-Jones. I was told that Flori Tasker was due to be in the ensemble but had an accident with her leg a couple of days ago which prevented her from taking part, which must have been gutting as I know what hard work all of these young people put into what they do. Hopefully the recovery will be a speedy one for Flori.

Directed by Siobhan Parker and assisted by Claire Collishaw. This production could not have been directed better. It was very pacy and packed with energy, and flew by far too fast. The other reason for that could be because I was enjoying myself far too much - if that's a possibility!

The Musical Director for this show is Hannah Pettit. I probably say this every time I see a LEOS Youth group production, but the vocals are always so strong, and the more I see these shows, the more I see the growth in these young people's voices, especially with the three main leads. That is proof enough that a show has a fantastic Musical Director when you can spot such advancement in a groups vocal abilities. The ensemble vocal work is powerful and hits you like a tsunami of musical talent. This again is down to the group's vocal abilities and a good Musical Director.

Most of the songs you will know, "A Whole New World", "Friend Like Me", "Arabian Nights" and the gorgeous "Proud Of Your Boy", but the whole soundtrack will have you tapping your feet throughout.

The choreography by Lillia Scattergood, who makes her choreographic debut. Not only are the big ensemble numbers exciting to watch but take note of just how entertaining the choreography is for the Genie; it's pure Disney magic. Roisin Parker is the Dance Captain.

Stage management is what makes a stage show flow smoothly and Katie Bird is the person you need for that smoothness as  items like plants are slid into place and just as smoothly removed from the stage as nifty as a ninja. Or ninjas that should be as there is a team of backstage ninjas.

Set design is by Roydon Charlesworth, Katie Bird and Becky Kirkham and it magics you away to the Far East. It also provides a magic carpet that appears as Aladdin steps down a step in the Palace which, along with the scene's projections, takes us all on a magic carpet ride to a whole new world.

The Set Projections for this show are wonderful, almost like watching a Disney film on the television. There is one particularly scene where Aladdin is taken to the mouth of the cave to get the lamp which is very effective. Without giving too much away, the projection seems to transport Aladdin inside the cave and swallow him up. Clever use of good projection makes a theatre show so much pacier as it moves between scenes seamlessly, and this was the case with this one as we are transported from the Market Place to the Sultan's Palace within seconds.

The costumes, which are spectacular by the way, are thanks to Carol McTernan, Suzy Thornton, Judy Watson and Janet Whyatt.

Hairdresser is Carol McTernan. No mention of the make up person/s but I do need to mention Genie's make up and hair as being excellent, as well as the characters' facial hair make up. 

Lighting by Dave Martin, again adding to the colourful and exciting visual display of "Aladdin Jr"

Sound by Dave Dallard and Jack Clark was well balanced, clear and punchy.

Any good production will leave you wanting more, and this production did leave me wanting more. I wasn't always a Disney musicals fan but local productions have, over the past few years, converted me. This production is packed with energy and character, as well as love, because that shows in the faces of this group and their ability to make an audience believe and appreciate the talent on the Duchess stage. An appreciation shown by the standing ovation at the final bows. I imagine that there are so many parents who are proud of their boys, and girls, because if they were mine, I certainly would be. They all have such exciting futures ahead of them.

"Aladdin Jr" is at the Duchess Theatre, Long Eaton until Saturday 29 June.