The Torch Theatre Company are inviting everyone to jump aboard a very special magic carpet ride this Christmas with their pantomime production of the classic rags-to-riches tale of Aladdin!

The show which opens to the public on Thursday, December 19, promises to deliver a thousand and one magical moments in an adventure story bursting with songs, toe-tapping music, dancing - and the preview shows for local school children have certainly provided a whole heap of fun so far.

In the audience for this performance were pupils from St Florence and Pennar schools, who seemed to enjoy every aspect of the panto, from the impressive visual effects to the colourful costumes and sets (designed by Sean Crowley).

The comedy characters certainly had the youngsters laughing and cheering in the aisles, while the main villain bellowing out the lyrics ‘I hate children’ was bound to bore the brunt of some of the loudest hisses and boos you’re likely to hear at a panto!

With the fate of the universe at stake, one young man stands in evil’s way, and Aladdin (played by Emma Mulkern) along with some help from his friends, including The Genie of the lamp (Lloyd Grayshon) sets about on an adventure of epic proportions.

Crowd pleaser Dion Davies is back as Widow Twankey making a memorable ‘boombastic’ entrance as always to the track ‘Higher Love’ (“hiya luv!!”) - cracking up the atmosphere and volume to the max and looking to air her dirty laundry in public, and make it known that her laundrette business ‘Twankies’ is losing money.

The Emperor of Peking (Dewi Rhys Williams) his daughter Sammy aka Princess Samina (Rosey Cale) and PC Ping (Niall Quinn) all play a part in leading Aladdin to the cave of wonders where the evil Abanazer (Jâms Thomas) is lurking and equally as determined to get his slimy gloves on the mystical lamp.

However, once Aladdin unleashes the genie, it is in his contract to grant one wish, and despite the only four magical words that Twankey wants to hear being ‘large doner kebab please!’ - riches soon follow, ensuring that she’ll ‘never have to shop at Home Bargains’ again.

The show as ever pokes fun at places in Pembrokeshire and surrounding areas, and with some classic old school silliness, combined with a wealth of clever modern gags, the cast and writers Peter Doran and James Williams as ever come up with a winning festive formula.

All the songs deliver, including a ditty about takeaways that combines the flossing dance craze with air guitars, to show that nothing is left out of the mix when it comes to a Torch Theatre panto!

Worth the price of admission alone is seeing Widow Twankey get to channel her best Dame Shirley Bassey impression on a Bond-style medley, like a true Welsh diva - at one stage even getting up close and personal with one teacher in the crowd who she labelled her ‘hunka-chunka luv’.

Showing from December 19 to 31, for more details on booking a trip to see Aladdin at Milford Haven’s Torch Theatre visit: https://www.torchtheatre.co.uk/aladdin-2019/