‘Aladdin’ a smash hit at Oaklands Community College

The Oaklands Community College's production of the beloved classic pantomime ‘Aladdin’ was a resounding success, delighting audiences who packed the school hall on January 18, 19, and 20. The show featured an excellent cast of actors and a talented chorus line of dancers, who brought the story to life with energy and enthusiasm. Standing ovations were the order of the day for the high end production at the Edenderry school.

Much of the credit for the resounding success must go to the hardworking and talented students who brought the story to life on stage.

The cast was led by the charismatic and engaging performance of Jamie O’Neill who played the role of ‘Aladdin’. He brought a sense of fun and adventure to the character, making him instantly likeable and relatable to the audience. His chemistry with Emma Coyne who played Jasmine was electric, and their duet was one of the highlights of the show. Emma was a convincing Jasmine, sweet and demure in both performance and vocal numbers.

Charlie Owens who played the genie was a scene-stealer, with his larger-than-life personality and powerful comedy. This exceptionally talented actor was very much at home on stage and effortlessly brought a sense of magic, wonder and fun to the stage, and his performance was truly mesmerizing and glitter filled.

Carla Considine and Rebecca Moore who played the comic duo Graham and Norton and Mia Reilly as the wicked Abanazar, were also outstanding. Carla and Rebecca brought a sense of humour and mischief to their performances, and their interactions with each other were a highlight of the show. Mia, as the antagonist, was truly full of comic timing, switching from the evil genius with the failing evil laugh to pretending to be an innocent by stander in some scenes. Her interactions with the bantering audience were superbly improvised and she showed outstanding versatility and comic timing in this role.

Sophie Moore, Clodagh Swaine and Shannan Doran were also delightful on stage making this a well-rounded and very competent cast of players. Sophie as the ever so stern and serious emperor with a rather amusing speech defect, raised a lot of laughter in the audience. Clodagh, as widow Twinky showed true talent in comedy, managing to get the audience going with lots of banter and rousing the crowd with her rendition of “Nine to Five”. Shannan, who superbly played the lovable, but somewhat dim-witted Wishee, was a joy to watch on stage and she truly played the comedy and the audience to the maximum.

The chorus line of dancers was also excellent, with their synchronized routines and high energy adding to the overall spectacle of the show. Choreography was to a very high standard and very well executed throughout.

The musical numbers were super upbeat and well-known, and the live orchestra, including members of staff Rory Maher and Jack Colgan as well as director and musical director Mairead McKenna and Claire Donohoe, added an extra layer of magic to the performance. The setting, lighting, and sound were all of a spectacularly high standard, making for an immersive and unforgettable experience.

Audience members were effusive in their praise for the show, with many praising the talented cast and crew for putting on a truly outstanding production. From the moment the curtain rose, the audience was captivated by the colourful, high-energy performance.

The show was produced by the Oaklands Community College's Oaklands Players, led by the talented and dedicated directors, Mairead McKenna and Claire Donohoe whose hard work and dedication paid off in spades. Choreography was expertly set and rehearsed by dance director and teacher Jennifer Colgan. The three teachers had been rehearsing the cast and chorus since September and no doubt their dedication paid off in spades in this production. The pantomime was produced by Hazel Cullen. Ms. Cullen, speaking to the paper, also acknowledged the vital roles of Ms. Ciannait Goulding, back stage manager and her team of staff and students, Ms. Andrea Condron who looked after costumes, Ms. Swan, Ms. Conroy, Ms. Finn, Ms. Gilligan and Ms. Campion who oversaw make-up as well as the tireless efforts of Ms. Yvonne Geagan and Ms. Shona O’Callaghan who looked after promotion, ticket sales and media helped to make the show a true triumph.