Aladdin review

(Late, because I thought I already posted it)

It was a family occasion this Christmas as Shane Richie was joined by his 2 sons, to take part in their entertaining take on panto favourite Aladdin.
Shane, who took on the lead role, starred alongside Shane Jr and Jake as they played Aladdin’s hilarious brothers Wishee and Washee.
The panto was a huge sensation, and the first of its kind to feature fantastic 3D technology. It boasted an array of outstanding special effects that left kids leaning over in their seats and screaming their heads off. A sea of little hands could be seen grabbing at the air as they tried desperately to grab the magical genie that flew around their heads, while hiding behind their parents when a colony of bats flew at their faces.
In true pantomime style you could see just how much fun the whole cast was having as they performed. Shane was electric, interacting with the crowd, flaunting his cheeky charm, and the relationship he has with his boys is just magical. Hannah Grover played the part of Jasmine beautifully, Christopher Chilton was a fantastic Widow Twanky, and Chook Sibtain fitted in perfectly as the bad guy. But Peter Piper was undeniably the true star of the show, with his pant-wettingly funny impressions. He had the audience in stitches when he dressed up as a gorilla with himself trapped in the cage while impersonating David Attenborough, one of those things that you might have to have witnessed for yourself to understand the sheer brilliance.
The audience were also treated to the Gambat Troupe, a Mongolian Circus act that featured in between scenes, and who were stunning to watch as they performed aerial acrobatics and tests of great strength.
Popular songs were featured in the panto, ranging from High School Musical (one for the kids!) to the YMCA, which got the whole audience on their feet as the night came to a close. It was a really fantastic night, for the adults as well as the kids; it really brightened up a cold winter night.

BBC Sound of 2010

So it looks like Hereford based acoustic pop star Ellie Goulding has been tipped for the top, in the BBC's Sound of 2010 list. No surprises there, there have been rumours and speculation coming from all directions about the future success of this would be pop star.Goulding was studying drama at university when she discovered the sound that was destined to make her one of the most hotly-tipped new artists of 2010. And she is joined on the list by fellow solo artists Marina and the Diamonds, Rox and Daisy Dares you; but can we follow on from last year with another year of the solo female pop star topping the charts?Last year was undoubtedly the year of the diva. We saw breakthroughs from the likes of Little Boots, La Roux, and one of the year’s biggest stars Lady Gaga topped the charts on more than one occasion, but what can we realistically expect from 2010?There is a strong collection of bands on the list this year, in the form of electro band Delphic, who have already started to make an impact in 2009, as well as folk band Stornoway, who recently performed a blinding set at Bucks very own UniTruck festival. We have seen an increased popularity for chill out and folk music over the past few months. Who could have missed the huge support that Mumford and Sons gained over the last months of 2009, could this be the way forward for the British music scene in 2010?We could see an increase in music from the other side of the Atlantic. As 2009 was without doubt the year for the British band, maybe 2010 is the year for our trans-Atlantic rivals to show off their talent. Minnesota synthpop band Owl City has achieved chart success on the Billboard hot 100 and has also gained a coveted space on the BBC’s Sound of 2010 list. As the only American to make the list this year, his pretty debut single 'fireflies' is sure to make a mark on the charts in the near future.The BBC sound of 2010 is completed with Devlin, The Drums, Everything Everything, Giggs, Gold Panda, Hurt, Joy Orbison and Two Door Cinema all making the list. All that’s left to do now is wait and see who really does stamp their mark all over 2010. It's a hard challenge to face and only the most persistant artists will break through. Personally, my money’s on Marina, Stornoway, and of course Ellie Goulding for doing big things this year.