ALEX ROBERTON
A dazzling, punchy and emphatic show, Twisted once again demonstrates Blenheim Musical Theatre's class and strength. A superb ensemble cast bounces off each other beautifully in this dark, humour-filled retelling of the classic Aladdin story from the villain's perspective.
Andrew Simon is an excellent choice for Jafar, bringing a powerful duality to the character. His back-and-forth dialogue with Head Guard Karl Wood is superb. Karl, like many in this tight-knit and lean cast, wears multiple hats throughout the performance. Every role is delivered impeccably, with varied cadence, accents and body language that showcase the scale of his talent.
Andrew also works well alongside Sherrazade, played by Amy Downey. Their chemistry is strong and Amy possesses an almost mesmerising quality on stage. Holding notes with both her voice and violin simultaneously highlights her remarkable talent.
Paige Jackson's emphatic voice is perfectly suited to the Princess. As strong here as she was in That Bloody Woman, her performance is as robust and rebellious as it is naïve. Paige helps bring out the dark, ironic and often wicked humour woven throughout the production.
She shares her scenes well with Aladdin, played by Lyriks Caldwell, who is portrayed as an unapologetic villain in this telling. Lyriks carries the maturity of a more experienced actor and appears completely at ease delivering both abrupt and laugh-out-loud lines. He plays the part well and again showcases impressive duality while embodying the play's namesake near the climax.
Prince Achmed, played by Margie Fletcher, is a delight. From cunning manipulation early in the show to a side-splitting second-act appearance, every moment is expertly delivered.
Each performance steadily builds tension towards a poignant and beautiful climax that provides a fitting conclusion to an excellent production.
Tight choreography, superb dialogue and timing, and excellent vocals and music combine to deliver another standout show from the team at Blenheim Musical Theatre.
