Q&A with the cast of Aladdin – the festive pantomime at the Marina!

We caught up with some of our Aladdin cast members and asked them some quirky questions so you can get to know them a bit better!

The sparkling family pantomime runs until January 1 – fasten your seat belts for a magical carpet ride to Old Peking where soap-sud silliness has got Widow Twankey and her sons Aladdin and Wishee-Washee in a right lather!

Click HERE to book now or call the box office on 01502 533200 to secure your seats!

We spoke to Ann Widdecombe (Empress of China), Mark Read (Aladdin), Terry Gleed (Wishee-Washee), Mia Richards (Princess Jasmine) and Aaron Spendelow (Genie of the Lamp).

Where were you born?

Aaron: Luton and Dunstable hospital.

Ann: Bath.

Mark: Kingston Upon Thames.

Mia: Dudley - West Midlands.

Terry: In my sister's bed.

 

Where did you go to school/college/uni?

Aaron: Sylvia Young Theatre School.

Mark: Epsom, Surrey.

Ann: Royal Naval School, Singapore, Bath Convent, Universities of Birmingham and Oxford.

Mia: I went to Milking Bank Primary School in Dudley, I attended Ellowes Hall Sports College for secondary school also in Dudley.  For college I went to Birmingham Ormiston Academy (BOA) in partnership with the BRIT school, I went to drama school for a foundation year at The Arts Educational Schools London and I’m currently studying for my degree at PPA in Guildford.

Terry: Wraysbury Primary School and then Langley Grammar School. Then I went to Hotel College at Brighton Polytechnic for 3 years and then Guildford School of Acting for 3 years studying Musical Theatre.

 

Favourite/least favourite food/meal? 

Aaron: Favourite food is Cheese flan and curly fries with a blue slush.

Ann: I hate shellfish and mushrooms but love lamb chops with mint sauce.

Mark: Fav is Spag Bol, least - seafood.

Mia: I can’t think of anything I don’t actually like apart from a whole tomato!! I’m such a foodie!

Terry: My favourite is Curry, if you want to find me, I may very well be in an Indian Restaurant or hovering around the spicy ready meals in Marks and Spencer. I love Chinese too and Italian. My least favourite are bananas.

 

Favourite drink?

Aaron: Blue slush.

Ann: Good brandy.

Mark: Ginger beer / peanut butter & banana milkshake.

Mia: Alcoholic would be a baileys always! And I’m a huge iced Coffee lover.

Terry: McDonalds Hot Chocolate - I discovered it one day after drinking too much coffee and needed a change.

 

Favourite colour?

Aaron: Blue.

Ann: Dark Green.

Mark: Burgundy.

Mia: Red.

Terry: Electric Blue.

 

Favourite films/TV shows?

Aaron: Shrek.

Ann: Cadfael.

Mark: Ghostbusters/Simpsons / The Muppets.

Mia: Favourite film would definitely be Notting Hill, I’m still a big kid at heart and love a bit of princess diaries! I’m such a girly girl but love anything crime related, my guilty pleasure is definitely ‘Can’t Pay We’ll Take It Away’!

Terry: Titanic and most disaster movies/ Eastenders and any Period Drama and Midsomer Murders.

 

Favourite book/s?

Aaron: Something by Matt Lucas.

Ann: Wind in the Willows.

Mark: It’s not easy being green and other things to consider -Kermit the frog/ Jim Henson

Mia: The faraway tree! I used to love it.

Terry: A nice Agatha Christie…Miss Marple in particular..and as a boy I loved Enid Blyton Famous Five.

 

Favourite piece of music/song?

Aaron: Chart music

Ann: TONE DEAF

Mark: Mr Blue Sky – ELO

Mia: Anything Amy Winehouse! I’m obsessed with her.

Terry: ABANIBI (Eurovision winner for Israel)

 

Most treasured possession?

Aaron: Family photos.

Ann: A naval rum tub given to my father.

Mark: Family dog Dizzy and baby grand piano.

Mia: As much as I hate myself for it, probably my IPhone!

Terry: My good Health and Happy soul and my Eurovision collection.

 

What do you like doing in your spare time?

Aaron: Spinning, listening to music, spending time with friends and travelling!

Ann: Walking on Dartmoor.

Mark: Questionnaires, gym.

Mia: I am a bit of a party animal! I love a good night out with my friends. I also love a good trip into London to see a show!

Terry: Singing, people watching, watching television and thinking about pantomimes and seeing as many as I can.

 

Who is your celebrity crush?

Aaron: Dot Cotton from EastEnders

Ann: No crush on anyone but admire DEREK JACOBI as an actor.

Mark: (Fake person crush) Jessica Rabbit

Mia: Probably Anthony Joshua! 

Terry: I am too shy to say... someone in Eastenders.

 

Your secret vice?

Aaron: Food.

Ann: A nightcap with a good book in bed.

Mark: Buying geeky collectables.

Terry: Watching my celebrity crush in Eastenders.

 

Greatest indulgence?

Aaron: Lindor chocolate.

Mark: Collecting autographs.

Mia: I’m obsessed with Baileys!

Terry: Sleep and Peanut Butter.

 

A place you really want to visit?

Aaron: Brazil.

Ann: Alaska.

Mark: Nashville, Memphis, Hawaii.

Mia: I would absolutely love to visit New York!

Terry: Kusudasi in Turkey…I have visited it several times but it draws me to return.

 

Biggest fear?

Aaron & Ann: Heights.

Mark: Zombie apocalypse.

Mia: I’m absolutely terrified of roller coasters!

Terry: Not being able to be cast in a pantomime.

 

If you were an animal, what animal would you be?

Aaron: Monkey.

Ann: Koala Bear.

Mark: A fox.

Terry: A cat, such a stress free life…just eating and sleeping and wandering around a bit.

 

What is the best present you've ever received?

Aaron: A framed photo of memories.

Ann: The love of my parents.

Mark: Life.

Mia: When my mum and dad brought me and my brother Louie a puppy for Christmas! He was the best gift I’ve ever received.

Terry: A picture from my mum and dad which lights up.

 

Favourite cartoon character as a child?

Aaron: Bubblegum characters from Clinton Cards.

Ann: Rupert Bear.

Mark: Muppet Babies.

Mia: I don’t think I’ve ever watched a cartoon!

Terry: Beryl the Peril…comic book cartoon.

 

Most expensive thing you’ve broken?

Aaron: iPhone.

Ann: My foot.

Mark: Car.

Mia: I don’t actually think I’ve ever broken anything too pricey! (Touch wood).

Terry: My mobile phone.

 

What would be your one super power?

Aaron: Make everyone nice to each other!

Ann: Invisibility.

Mark: Music.

Mia: To be able to bring out the sun when the weather is too cold!

Terry: Flying, I often fly in my dreams…it feels lovely.

 

If you were (of the opposite sex) what would your name have been?

Aaron: Charlotte.

Ann: Hamish.

Mark: Amy, after 2 boys folks were hoping for a girl and already named me.

Mia: I think my mum wanted to call me Gabriel!

Terry: Terri Gleed.

 

What would be a good theme song for your life?

Aaron: Hey Big Spender.

Ann: Onward Christian Soldiers.

Mark: Rocky III - Training Montage/ Eye of the Tiger.

Terry: J`Aime J`Aime La Vie (Eurovision 1986) I love I love LIFE.

 

What’s the worst hairstyle you’ve ever had?

Aaron: Nike sign on back of head.

Ann: Very short perm.

Mark: Most of them.

Terry: A very big perm, far too much hair and very bulky but I thought it was lovely at the time.

 

What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve ever bought?

Aaron: A kangol hat with strings coming out.

Ann: 1960s hotpants.

Mark: I don’t think they’re ridiculous but others may disagree - life size Muppets & film prop animatronic plant from Little shop of Horrors.

Mia: I brought a anorak from a charity shop the once thinking I could make it look edgy but really it was like something of Dot Cotton's.

 

Best advice you've been given?

Aaron: Live life to the full every day.

Ann: Carpe Diem

Mark: Smile at the old ladies.

Mia: To never compare yourself to others, you are on your own journey and if you work hard at something, and don’t give up, the possibilities are endless.

Terry: From My Dad…It is very easy to spend money ,but hard to save it…so try to save as much as you can, whilst you can earn a good honest day's wage.

 

If your entire life was a movie, what title would best fit?

Aaron: Aaron! Its me!

Ann: Carry On Trying.

Mark: ‘My Entire Life - The Movie’.

Terry: This Happy Breed.

 

What three things would you take to a desert island?

Aaron: Photos, Tucker my dog and slush puppy machine.

Ann: A compass, a raft and a swimsuit.

Mark: Laptop with Netflix, a boat, ukulele.

Mia: My best friend, my phone and probably a hairbrush!

Terry: Peanut Butter, Chicken Tikka Masala Madras Hot, mobile phone.

 

If magic was real, what spell would you try to learn first?

Aaron: To have a pause button.

Ann: Flying.

Mark: Time travel.

Mia: A spell to get rid of all the negative people in the world that cause hurt and upset!

Terry: To fly.

 

If you were given £5million to open a small museum, what would it be?

Aaron: A theatrical one.

Ann: Space Travel.

Mark: Musical/pianos.

Mia: I would open a museum dedicated to Amy Winehouse and her life because she’s my favourite musician.

Terry: Eurovision Song Contest Through The Ages.