Aladdin

The Magical 3D Pantomime Adventure

SECC Clyde Auditorium

TWO decades after achieving global fame with Wet Wet Wet worldwide smash hit Love Is All Around, Clydebank's most famous musical son Marti Pellow is back on home soil treading the boards in Glasgow.

The versatile star, who has branched out into West End musicals and performed as far afield as Tokyo and New York, is following in the not inconsiderable footsteps of predecessors in the SECC Panto, David Hasselhoff and John Barrowman and he does not disappoint.

He is a suitably sinister villain, Abanazar, who aside from attracting so many catcalls, enjoys taking part in some of the hilarious wordplays which are such a key part of these festive shows.

We open in Abanazar's lair, the Egyptian Temple with the main man telling the audience he is set for global domination, adding that "maybe even Govan" would be under his control.

Then we meet Widow Twankey, played by Iain Stuart Robertson, a veteran of the SECC panto and Wishee Washee, played with childlike enthusiasm by Kilmarnock-born comedian Johnny Mac. They get caught up in a hilarious scene, for which evil sorcerer Abanazar joins them in which they talk in rapid fashion about short-sleeved shirts and try to avoid an unfortunate slip of the tongue. Pellow finds it hard not to laugh and clearly enjoys this routine.

Aladdin then takes to the stage and we meet the Billy Connolly-inspired Genie of the Lamp, who sounds remarkably like the Big Yin and is very "tickety boo" as the comedian would say and grants our hero three wishes.

He gets together with the Princess (Frances Mayli McCann) and it's all sweetness and light as the duo prepare to get married.

However Abanazar, whose dark side is captured in style by Pellow, tricks the Widow and exchanges a "shiny new" lamp for the magical one, giving him the kind of power he has always sought.

There is a hugely enjoyable 3D sequence, which includes a huge King Kong and a fast-paced magic carpet ride and a battle for control of the prized lamp.

Good gags abound with children from the audience joining Wishee for a song about three smart fellows, which let's just say not all of them get right.

Once again former First Minister Alex Salmond is the butt of some jokes, along with United States President-Elect Donald Trump.

Aladdin runs until Saturday, December 31 at the Clyde Auditorium. For more details call 0844 395 4005 or log on to www.secc.co.uk