THE last time they staged the pantomime Aladdin at Middlesbrough Theatre part of the building went up in
flames.
Now, as they get ready to go again ten years on, they are hoping this time that only the show goes out in a blaze of glory, pictured above former Gladiator Diane Youdale as Aladdin and the first Big Brother winner Craig Phillips, who is playing Wishee Washee.
"Tickets are already going like a house on fire," laughs theatre manager David Lindsey, "and are about 1,000 up on this time last year.
"People come here because they know they will get a good, traditional family pantomime."
Teesside's Diane Youdale, best known as former Gladiator Jet, takes the title part in Aladdin which runs from Friday, December 5 to Sunday, January 4.
Diane co-hosts the mid-morning show on BBC Tees and she is joined as the Fairy Of The Ring by her predecessor on the show, Alex Hall.
"We get on very well," says Alex. "We're even sharing a dressing room."
Craig Phillips, the very first winner of Big Brother, is Wishee Washee with Terry Ashe as Abanazer. Craig is currently completing an 80-part makeover series for ITV1 while his earlier shows for the BBC are being repeated.
This will be Diane's 16th panto and both she and Alex are looking forward to appearing for the first time as professionals in a theatre where they previously performed as amateurs.
Alex was in What The Butler Saw in 1979 while Diane was a dancer in Guys And Dolls in 1984.
The fire caused limited damage a decade ago and the show was quickly able to go on again and complete its run.
For more details about this Christmas' Aladdin, call 01642 815181.
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