Going to see Aladdin was tough for me. I took my daughter and toddler son because my marriage had fallen apart, and her family had come to town to give my future ex-wife some support. She later filed the divorce paperwork, two days before my birthday. A 10-year marriage was over with a call to an attorney and a few thousand dollars for a retainer.



With that heaviness on my soul, I purchased tickets to see Centerstage’s latest production, Aladdin.



The Federal Way theater has taken it upon itself to stage a traditional English panto during the holiday season, so Aladdin of Federal Way is a far cry from the Aladdin of the Disney Channel. This version, by Paul Hendy, takes on the basic story of the genie and the lamp with sight gags, quick wit and a bit of slapstick along the way. It has a lot of very bad regional jokes and others that got funnier as the play rolled on. Eventually, the audience bought into the whole idea of bad humor being funny. Women play men; men play women; some of the jokes are two or three centuries old, and some of the comic routines date back to the earliest days of English theater.



There is a disco genie (played by David Roby), an overreaching villain (Robert Alan Barnett), and a cast of characters straight from a vaudeville show that has tight dialogue and dartlike delivery. It is Hendy at his best. 



“Mr. Hendy is a fascinating fellow,” Centerstage Artistic Director Alan Bryce says. “Not only is he host of Wheel Of Fortune on British TV, he is an accomplished master of the ancient and beloved art of English Christmas pantomime. Mr. Hendy writes, produces and performs in his shows, and it’s difficult to say which of these tasks he performs with more élan and skill. Suffice to say his shows are pure joy.”



Anchoring the show is Scott Polovitch-Davis, who rocked last year’s production of Cinderella and also just came off a stint with Miss Saigon at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. He is one of the top South Sound actors these days and is always a pleasure to see on stage. Polovitch-Davis’ new son, Gabriel, should be proud of his father and at least let him sleep a little these days to show some support.



Also kicking it into high gear is Alicia Mendez, who plays Princess Jasmine. Not only is she as cute as a new button, she has great range with just a few nuanced movements. She looked like she was having fun and rolled with it all the way. Her bio says she is studying education at Pacific Lutheran University. If her acting ability is any indication of her talents in front of students, she is going to be a great teacher someday. Let’s just hope she doesn’t give up acting.



After its run at the Knutzen, Aladdin transfers to The Theatre On The Square in Tacoma Dec. 18-21. Information about that show is available at broadwaycenter.org.



[Knutzen Family Theatre, Aladdin, through Dec. 14, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $8-$25, 3200 S.W. Dash Point Road, Federal Way, 253.661.1444].

Also on stage

Scrooge, The Musical

Capital Playhouse founder and organizer Jeff Kingsbury reprises his role of Scrooge. Based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the show will be one to remember. 

[Capital Playhouse, through Dec. 21, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, $25-$37, 612 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.943.2744]

Stardust for Christmas

Harlequin Productions is well into its holiday mode as it stages Stardust for Christmas, the latest installment of the theater’s original series of shows set in a New York nightclub during World War II.  

[State Theater, through Dec. 29, 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, with special added dates, $34-$38, 202 E. Fourth Ave., Olympia, 360.786.0151]

The Slipper & the Rose

Romance is making its West Coast premiere as it retells the classic Cinderella story through music and dance.

[Tacoma Musical Playhouse, through Dec. 21, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, $18-$25, 7116 Sixth Ave., Tacoma, 253.565.6867]

Historic Steilacoom Christmas

A look into the past will be available at Historic Fort Steilacoom in Lakewood, where reenactors there will live life as it was in 1858. Tour the candle and lantern lit quarters of Lt. Col. Casey and soldiers of the fort and their families and guests engaged in merry making, conversation of the time, tree trimming, dancing to the tunes of a fiddler, and caroling. Special activities for children include hands-on ornament making. The gift shop has a good stock of books, toys, and souvenir items for your Christmas shopping.

[Historic Fort Steilacoom, Saturday, Dec. 13, 4-7:30 p.m., $3-$5, $10 family, 9601 Steilacoom Blvd., on the grounds of Western State Hospital, Lakewood, 253.582.5838]

The Producers

Paradise Theatre stages the best show about bad theater. 

[Paradise Theatre, through Dec. 14, 7:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday, $10-$20, 9911 Burnham Dr. N.W., Gig Harbor, 253.851.PLAY]