By Maureen Sullivan
Happy New Year!! Welcome to 2025 – and new shows to tempt you with…..
The Wight Island Players bring you new year fun and laughter with their traditional January pantomime: this year it’s Aladdin…. Oh yes it is!
Aladdin, a poor laundry boy, falls in love with the emperor’s daughter, but to win her hand has to become rich.
The comedy is carried by the outrageous Widow Twankey, and her stupid son, Wishee Washee. There is much knock-about and verbal humour, loads of audience participation, and several set-piece comic routines. Join the gang for music and comedy at Bembridge Village Hall, from January 17-19 at 7.30pm, with a 2.30pm Sunday matinee. Tickets can be booked by contacting wightislandplayersbooking@gmail.com or 07599 954826.
Following ‘Smile’, the Niton Playbox present ‘Run, Rabbit, Run’, a magical, musical journey back in time to the 1940s. Set on the Island and written by local playwright, Val Hayward, the show features popular songs from the era that will get you ‘In the Mood’ to ‘Sing, Sing, Sing’ all the way home. Performances are on Friday Jan 24 at 7.30pm, and Saturday and Sunday 25 and 26 at 2.30pm in Niton Village Hall, Tickets can be booked online via iw.observer/run-rabbit-run – with a small booking fee or can be reserved via text 07437 675805 and pay cash on the door.
Ad Lib Theatre brings back the talented team behind the incredibly popular Ad Lib Shakespeare productions in a brand new comedy: ‘Ghost Hunting’. Karen the Ghost Hunter claims she can see ghosts. But the illustrious former residents of the Island know the living can’t see them – until they meet Bernard. And there’s a witch-finder on the loose…. This spookily silly spectacular has been described as Blackadder meets Ghosts meets Horrible Histories. ‘Ghost Hunting’ comes to Northwood House on January 30 and 31 and to Bembridge Village Hall on February 1 and 2. Book via iw.observer/ghost-hunting.
More theatrical treats next month. I look forward to sharing the dramatic joys of 2025 with you.
Isle of Wight Observer