REVIEW: Aladdin - Marlborough Primary School

As temperatures rose higher than high on a July day a theatrical performance took place inside a Birmingham primary school that brought joy and light.

Aladdin was staged at Marlborough Primary School.

The Y6 pupils took command of the vast space of the school hall to give two very special end-of-year performances of Disney’s Aladdin to a packed crowd of appreciative parents and teachers.

The story, with selected songs from both the 1992 Oscar-winning animated film and the 2019 live-action movie, are used to excellent effect in a sharp and snappy script that retains the energy and thrust of the tale while jettisoning some of the subplots and characters to weave a concise and exciting version of Aladdin.

A tale that is as ‘old as time’ is brought to vivid new life by the Y6 pupils who engage with the text with real gusto and passion. The themes of friendship, hope and freedom, and the eternal themes of love overcoming evil and hate continues to chime with our current times.

The young cast delivers performances filled with such zest and bubbly energy that they sweep the audience along with them as Aladdin’s adventure begins in the busy and bustling marketplace where poverty mingles with vast riches.

The children displayed real maturity and commitment to the their roles, and it was such a beautiful thing indeed to see their camaraderie in encouraging and helping each other to ensure the show was a success and a delight for the audience.

The show required the young actors to memorise and deliver their lines and to convey emotions through carefully choreographed movement and singing. Despite their youth and inexperience, and the daunting task of performing in front of a live audience, they showed dedication and put in real effort from beginning to end.

The ensemble singling was superb throughout with all of the characters coming together – including the entire year group as chorus – joining forces to blast out such classics as the hypnotic opening number 'Arabian Nights', and later the joyous 'Prince Ali' which is sung with such enthusiasm that one felt like joining in.

Princess Jasmine’s song 'Speechless' was a powerful mediation on freedom and escaping the chains of being caged in the royal palace that echoed the Genie’s dream of finding escape from the confines of the lamp.

The real treasure is not the cold gold and brass found inside palaces or magical lamps but the warm and fabled jewel of freedom that pulses in the soul of all living creatures. That rare and elusive dream remains alive in the hearts of all those who have experienced – or continue to experience – the yoke of unkindness, poverty and enslavement in all its insidious and inhuman forms. 

When Aladdin takes Princess Jasmine for a ride upon his magical carpet the school hall filled with the melodic sounds of 'A Whole New World', and Aladdin’s vocals soared and caressed the lyrics with such feeling that the mind was transported to another realm, a place where magic happens, somewhere deep inside the human heart. The words of the song also take on an emotional tone because this is the final few days in the school before these Y6 youngsters embark upon their next stage in life and leave Marlborough Primary School for the last time and bid farewell to their friends and teachers as they go out to discover a whole new world in other schools. 

The heartfelt and confident performances given by Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, the Sultan, Jafar, Iago, and the ensemble cast are compelling, charming, innocent and full of summer light.

The level of professionalism shown by these children belied their tender years. Aladdin's facial expressions, especially the witty way he used his eyes to express emotions, added details to his character while Princess Jasmine was commanding and regal in her vocal characterisation of a royal daughter in search of freedom and happiness. The Sultan delivered his lines from his throne with a warmth and sincerity while the Genie – true to his character – is larger than life and takes absolute pleasure in the role.

The fictional Middle-Eastern city of Agrabah was created using materials such as cardboard, foil, paper, drapes, boxes, a chair here, a bench over there, and other paraphernalia found in a classroom. The art design may have been grafted from simple materials but the imagination and wit used was so spellbinding that it gave the show the appearance and look of an illustrated children’s book which added a magical texture to the world of Aladdin.

The huge painted backdrop that was draped across one side of the cavernous school hall depicted Agrabah using a mixture of dusty golden tones merging with light browns, dark reds and greens that climbed up the walls of the city, while sparkling yellows swirled around the domes and minarets.

The costumes were also noteworthy with each character dressed in outfits and styles that suited their characters. Browns and blues for the market traders, regimented blacks for the palace guards and the scheming Jafar, and colourful wings for Iago (Jafar’s parrot who serves as his sidekick).

Aladdin himself had two costume changes, one as a young rouge in the market who wears the attire of a street urchin sporting a Turkish fez on his head and later, when Aladdin arrives to the Sultan’s palace with his royal entourage, he wears the rich turban and silken styles of Prince Ali of Ababwa.

The makeup for the Genie was excellent with an abundant use of blue for the face and arms to evoke the iconic colours employed by Disney for the animated film.

The huge space offered by the hall inside the beautiful terracotta building was well used to showcase the various episodes of Aladdin’s adventures. The seating was such that the performance took place to the left, centre, and the right and even towards the rear of the hall which made the show more immersive and immediate.

As the Y6 pupils took their bows for what will be the last show they give before they leave Marlborough Primary School, the hall filled with thunderous applause. Parents and teachers rose to their feet and hugged the little treasures whose performances had melted their hearts. There were quite a few wet eyes – both teachers and parents – as the children were praised for their courage and hard work.

This production, and the memorable magic it unleashed, is proof that Art and Drama in schools have the power to inspire pupils and unlock the potential of the human mind.

Marlborough Primary School first opened its doors to local pupils from the Small Heath, Bordesley Green and Yardley Green areas when Queen Victoria was still on the English throne. The long history of this school has seen many generations of staff and pupils come and go over the years, and it’s always an emotional moment when pupils part and leave for secondary schools. However, though they part the pupils take with them memories that will linger long in their minds.

The staff from Marlborough Primary School who worked on this show should be proud of what they have achieved with the pupils. The eyes of each child were lit with energy as the show ended, and the smiles on their young faces was evidence that this day will stay with them forever.

This landmark moment in the lives of the Y6 pupils is one of those rare and special historic days that will warm the heart and mind on cold winter days. When people look back down memory lane and say things such as ‘school days were the best days of our life’ they refer to days such as this one at Marlborough Primary School.

Aladdin is a sweet and enchanting end-of-year show that opens the door to the next stage of wonder and discovery.

Verdict: ★★★★★

Aladdin was performed at Marlborough Primary School on Thursday 10th July 2025