Aladdin- The international live stage show spectacular- Travel #34

Dear Steemit friends, let me take you into the wonderful world of Disney's Aladdin, the live stage show that toured the world. I was lucky enough to see it twice, once in Australia and the second time in England. Most of us grew up with Disney, either reading the original fairytale books or more recently enjoying the cinematic experience. I grew up in the 90's and got to enjoy many of the all time greats, The Lion King, Tarzan, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, Hercules and of course Aladdin among many more. Aladdin is actually based on a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the stories in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights.

Aladdin is a poor boy who spends his time stealing from the marketplace in the city of Agrabah. His life changes when he unexpectedly meets a girl who happens to be Princess Jasmine. Princess Jasmine is a headstrong, independent girl who is forced to be married by her father. She of course rejects every suiter in the land. The addition of a magical lamp, a blue Genie and an evil Sultan makes for an exciting storyline. The original movie debuted in 1992 and a remake actually comes out today, 27 years later. Not all movies can successfully be converted into a live stage show, however, Aladdin was absolutely breathtaking on stage. I have been in the live entertainment industry for over 10 years and can really appreciate all the hard work that goes into putting together a live performance. Unlike being an actor or actress for television and film where you can have several attempts to get your lines right, as a live performer, you get one shot every time. There is an atmosphere about the theatre which is exciting and can only be experienced by being in the audience.

To find me, look for my Chihuahua's face

When I heard that Aladdin was touring globally as a live show, I was so excited. Anything that Disney puts on is always quality. Their shows have the highest standards for dancers, actors and back-stage technicians. The combination of talented performers and great story writing makes for a perfect stage production. The storyline for a play is very important, it has to be engaging and dazzling. It has to make it worthwhile for you to buy a ticket, travel all the way to the theatre and fork out a pretty penny. I travelled to Melbourne, Australia with my bestfriend to watch Aladdin at Her Majesty's Theatre.

Her Majesty's Theatre, Melbourne, Australia

The most famous places in the world for the theatre of course are London's West End and New York's Broadway. The cultural scene is lacking in most parts of Australia with the exception of Melbourne. Melbourne has quite a vibrant theatre community. Their most famous theatre being Her Majesty's Theatre. The site where Her Majesty’s Theatre now stands was first purchased in a government sale for £100 in 1839. The site didn't serve much purpose until 1884 when a French man by the name of Jules Francois Joubert bought the land and built the theatre you see today, of course with many renovations and refurbishments since then. This little theatre really started to set the cultural scene that is still present today in Melbourne. Speaking of culture, the theatre really has its own cultural scene. Going to the theatre isn't just about watching a show, it's about getting dressed up, having an ice cream in the interval and a cocktail at the end with the cast. The cast of the Australian tour were phenomenal, they performed every night for months on end with some days even performing twice. It was an absolute pleasure meeting them.

Meeting the cast

"Everything in the world is actually connected" ~ Aladdin

I did not take any photographs or videos of the show itself to adhere to the rules and of course to really enjoy the moment. Aladdin is still a stage show in some places around the world and I really wouldn't want to ruin the show for you. I highly recommend you go see it yourself. I was so impressed by the show that I flew to London, England so I could take my mother and brother to the show in London's West End. Unlike in Australia, the theatre is a massive cultural thing in England. My grandmother and mother both worked in the theatre for years. As a theatrical performer anywhere in the world, getting onto West End is the peak of one's career, it's the cherry on the cake, the dream. The standard of performers is unmatched, you know that if you are seeing a West End show that those performers are the best of the best. The whole production benefits from this standard.

Prince Edward Theatre, London, England

Aladdin on West End was being held at the Prince Edward Theatre, the theatre was built in 1930 and named after Prince Edward. It has served as a theatre for its entire existence except for a brief few months when it housed injured civilians during the WWII London bombings. My younger brother Scott is wheelchair bound and this can sometimes be a challenge for him getting into old buildings, I can proudly say that every theatre in West End has wheelchair access. When the staff at the theatre greeted us, we were treated so well, we even received a free upgrade to the VIP booth and got given a Genie Bear that we all now adore. We felt like the Muppets, well, we were sat in their seats.

Enjoying the VIP booth

The show was just as great seeing it a second time around, no matter what city you travel to, there is sure to be a theatre for you to catch a live show. I hope you find a show that tickles your fancy and you really get to appreciate the art of live theatre. I hope you have enjoyed my blog on Aladdin, the international live stage show spectacular, thank you for reading and I look forward to sharing more adventures with you, until next time, Vegoutt Everybody!