Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre's seasonal show Aladdin is magical, musical and merry mayhem

As audiences have come to expect, Nick Lane’s adaptation of a classic fairy tale is Christmas crackers.

This year he has turned Hanna Diyab’s version of Aladdin into a tale as merry as the gentlemen in the carol and as full as mayhem as a drunken game of Twister.

It’s silly, zany and madcap packed with sparkling wordplay and more opportunities for audience anticipation than you can shake a mince pie at.

What makes it special to the people of Scarborough is Lane lets us own it. Set in Scarbaresia, he references Boyes and ‘Seaside’ Danny Wilde – the pub singer gets a mention every year and one of the biggest cheers of the night.

A Lane show without ‘Seaside’ would be a selection box short of a finger of Fudge.

This year most of the action is set in Hairy Bob’s Cave, the mysterious rock-with-a-hole which lies under the castle headland as you walk along Marine Drive from the Toll House.

That’s a genius idea. Every Scarborian knows and loves Hairy Bob’s –although there are various explanations on what it is and who it is named after.

The plot is simple: Aladdin is the son of a magician but has no tricks up his own sleeves. He finds a lamp and enlists the help of the genie inside it to rescue his mum who evil wizard Barcaza has kidnapped.

On the way he is helped by the emperor’s daughter Jeannie – who is wicked at magic.

To say any more would be to spoil the show – like knowing whether Smiffy marries Nezza before you watch the last Gavin and Stacey.

Rest assured it is magic on every level: it has more Christmas spirit than a supermarket booze aisle, festive sparkle to spare and yuletide cheer to warm the coldest of days.

There is magic, visual wizardry and a ‘flying carpet’.

As usual Simon Slater is behind the music – either changing the lyrics to pop songs including Shake it Out – there will not be a panto or seasonal show in the land without a Taylor Swift song this year– giving the swing to Let It Snow and putting the rap into Snap’s I’ve Got the Power.

There is a cast of five – Matthew Koon as the gentle Aladdin; Ash Weir as the princess who would rather wave a wand than her hand at loyal subjects and Jessica Dennis is Aladdin’s poor mum.

David Ahmad revels in his role as the villain and, best of all, is Carl Patrick as the Genie of the Lamp. He thinks he is Michael Buble but owes more to Bobby Ball and Paul Chuckle. He can sing but his jokes are better. I loved him.

It is an ensemble piece with some of the cast playing multiple roles but to spell those out would ruin the surprises. Together, the five are fabulous and under Gemma Fairlie’s direction, sing, dance and never let the action or attention sag.

This is not a traditional pantomime. At its big, warm heart there are messages about truth, freedom and friendships. Lane delivers his message, though, as lightly as an elf’s tread on Christmas Eve and wraps it in twinkly tinsel and bright bows.

The audience also get the chance to be silly and shout a lot.

Aladdin is magical, merry, mystical tour which invites you to step into a wonderland of wizardry and theatrical tricks. Grab a lamp, give it a rub and wish you were there.

Aladdin runs at the Stephen Joseph Theatre until Saturday December 28. Tickets on 01723 370541 and at www.sjt.uk.com