Where did Aladdin come from?

Originally it comes from the ‘Tales of the Arabian Nights’, but to be different the Pantomime Aladdin is based China.

Would you believe that the first recorded performance of a show called Aladdin was as long ago as 1788?  Of course, it wasn’t really a pantomime as we know it, however, over time it slowly grew to become the pantomime we know when:

• • The baddy Abanazar joined in 1813.

• • In 1861 his mum became ‘Widow Twankey’, who was obviously to be played by a man.

• • The slap-stick comedy scene then arrived.

• • Finally, “Wishee Washee”, another son, appeared to become the fall guy.

Why did Widow Twankey run a laundry? 

Well, at that time in London’s East End, there were several Chinese laundries, so they took the opportunity to use it to add in a slap-stick comedy scene.

Now, all it needed was some magic, which, I understand, came from the story Genie of the Lamp. Unfortunately, that story limited the wishes to three, which didn’t work for Aladdin, so it was changed, provided his hand was on the lamp.

That’s how the Aladdin story grew into what we have today.

Aladdin’s Lump

The History Portal wanted to write a different pantomime, one that was a bit potty, while keeping to the basic story, the result is Aladdin’s Lump, our Potty Panto. 

This time Abanazar tricks Aladdin to go int the cave to retrieve a special lamp.  However, Aladdin can’t find the lamp, so Abanazar locks him in the cave!  Of course, now he needs the Genie to get him out. How does he call up the genie? Guess what, he strokes a lump of stone!

That’s what’s behind the Educational Musicals Potty Panto “Aladdin’s Lump”, which we wrote for your children to enjoy not to watch but, more importantly, to perform. Giving them a rral chance to be part of Christmas. You can simply download by clicking on Aladdin’s Lump for only £14.99 including a 12 month performance licence.

So, let’s make Christmas fun!

10 Questions to discuss:

• What inspired the author to create a Pantomime version of Aladdin based on China?
• How does the setting in China differentiate this Pantomime from traditional versions based on the Middle East?
• Do the characters of Abanazar and Widow Twankey retain their original personalities and roles in this Chinese adaptation?
• Why do you think the addition of “Wishee Washee” became part of the Aladdin pantomime tradition?
• Given the historical context mentioned, can you identify any stereotypes potentially presented in the depiction of the “Chinese laundry” scene?
• How does the blog post explain the shift from three wishes to unlimited wishes based on touching the lamp?
• What elements of traditional pantomime, beyond the specific Aladdin story, are likely to be present in this Chinese version?
• Does the blog post mention any specific musical numbers or comedic routines we might expect in this Pantomime?
• Who is the intended audience for this blog post, and what is the author’s purpose in sharing this information?
• Based on the information provided, how do you think this Chinese Pantomime version of Aladdin would be received by modern audiences?

For more information on the history of Aladdin: