Aladdin Tour Brings Magic to Minneapolis - Mackenzie Bounds

 Aladdin Tour Brings Magic to Minneapolis

Many people are familiar with Disney’s famous 1992 animated movie, Aladdin. Translated onto the stage in 2011, the musical follows the same entertaining plot while incorporating new songs by Alan Menken and Chad Beguelin. The story tells the tale of a love-stricken commoner, Aladdin (Adi Roy), and how he befriends a comedic Genie (Marcus M. Martin) to woo Princess Jasmine (Senzel Ahmady). Through captivating choreography, gorgeous designs, and a heartwarming narrative, the show takes the audience right into the fictional city of Agrabah.

Aladdin, along with most Disney princess films, was a staple of my childhood. Needless to say, nostalgia and excitement made my expectations high, and I was not left disappointed. I found myself overjoyed as I watched the classic animation come to life before my eyes. Aladdin is a technical masterpiece, and although certain new plot lines and additional music fail to live up to the original movie, the actors bring a contagious energy to the stage which makes the show a fun experience for everyone in attendance.

Aladdin kicked off to a lively start with the opening number, “Arabian Nights.” I felt chills across my body as the ensemble mesmerized the audience with Bollywood style choreography while they moved in perfect sync, their sparkling costumes dazzling under the bright strobes. Martin’s incredible performance as Genie in “Arabian Nights” was exceeded only by the undoubtedly best and most iconic part of Aladdin, “Friend Like Me.” Martin held the audience in the palm of his hand during the number and preceding scene, making sassy quips and modern references that resulted in eruptive laughter and applause. The number highlighted not only Genie (one of my favorite parts was his hilarious Disney medley) but also the splendidly costumed ensemble during a grand tap number and chorus line. I found myself smiling along as I watched pure joy emulate from performers, leaving me craving more. 

However, not every moment onstage felt as purposeful and stimulating. “A Whole New World'' was unfortunately underwhelming which distracted me from the wondrous magic of the flying carpet. During the song, as well as the rest of Aladdin, Roy had a very breathy and nervous-sounding voice which was overpowered by the louder Ahmady. Although louder, the song sounded out of her range, so despite the actors’ great chemistry together, their voices unpleasantly contrasted which weakened the otherwise perfect scene. Ahmady’s individual performance also fell flat, especially during “These Palace Walls”, a song created for the stage adaptation. The track had potential to be a powerful and empowering female ballad, but ultimately became one-dimensional because Ahmady strained to hit notes and make strong character choices. However, she was not the only one who struggled to stand out; Aladdin’s trio of friends, although somewhat funny at points, made no significant impact due to poor and seemingly rushed writing. It was as though their characters existed to make a shorter film into a two act stage musical.

Aside from a few weak vocals and unnecessary new moments in the plot, the low points of the show in no way overpower the beautiful world and story that the company successfully creates. I recommend Aladdin to anyone hoping to relive Disney’s magic for a night or experience the joy of live theatre!