Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders is an immersive theatrical dining experience bringing laughs and thrills. I was invited on a complimentary basis to attend Jizzmines royal feast along with Steve a community member of Love Pop Ups London which we dined like royalty.
Darling and the Edge
Harriet Darling and Elise Edge love creating spaces that are exciting, unexpected and above all beautiful.
They like rolling up their sleeves and getting elbow deep in every part of a design, from edible experiences to interactive sound design, our spaces are unique and hand crafted. With a background in experimental performance art, and a self taught approach, they strive to provide an antidote to the boring and continuously experiment question, imagine and play.
Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders
Darling and Edge this year have bought to The Vaults in Waterloo yet another wonderous immersive dining production inspired on Aladdin taking guests on an Arabian night full of cabaret and a royal feast.
Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders is a strictly adult pantomime which is played out over a five course banquet.
Hop on a carpet and fly to into The Vaults for yet another ridiculous night of wine, dine pantomime, Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders by Darling and Edge!
A Royal feast with Princess Jizzmine
Haven’t you heard? The Emperor is dead! So his daughter, Princess Jizzmine, must choose a suitor to take the throne by Midnight.
As one of Pantoworld’s finest citizens, I and Steve we flocked to the palace for the Feast of Wonders to win over the Princess.
Could we be the next Queen or King of Agrablahblahblah?
However this fairy-tale is not as you know it as this play has been transformed into a topsy-turvy medley of marketplaces and magic carpets.
Entering through the dark corridors of The Vaults we firstly came across Window Hanky’s Launderette, where she knows everyone’s dirty little secrets.
After learning many secrets from Window Hanky but as she likes to be known as Mama she eventually introduces us to her son Aladdin who she hopes will find love soon.
Then with a quick pop in by Jizzmine Aladdin thinks he has fallen in love but started to wish and wonder how could he win the hand of Jizzmine considering he was poor and had nothing to offer her?
Aladdin then proceeded to help his mum Mama with the washing and finds a lamp, a magical lamp of wonders, wonders, wonders.
With a lamp in hand and his dreams looking up it was on and up to the Sultan’s Palace to feast at Princess Jizzmine’s.
But will his dreams be shattered and taken away? As Jaclose has come to retrieve his missing lamp from the launderette in which he accidentally put in with his dirty washing. However when he hears that Aladdin has it what will happen?
Plus also the question is will Aladdin win Jizzmine’s heart or will someone else?
Suitors to win Jizzmine’s hand in marriage require to have courage, uniqueness, nerve, talent, and all that razzle dazzle.
Even I and Steve tried our luck at winning Princess Jizzmine’s hand by taking part in mini game shows hosted by Mamma.
I strutted my stuff on the catwalk to show her my moves but she was not impressed. Even though I got some wolf whistles from others.
Steve had to woo her by whispering her sweet nothings but failed.
Feast of wonder
Before heading to the palace to warn Aladdin that Jaclose was after him to reclaim his lamp of wonders, wonders, wonders we was provided a bowl of Noods (noodles) by Mamma.
Mamma’s Noods was a bowl of stir fried noodles with vegetables, ginger, tamarind and a sesame seed broth.
Was delicious and had a slight spice giving that real heat and Arabian feel.
The feast at the palace was fit for royalty providing an array Arabian dishes.
Firstly we started of feasting on A Romantic Vegetable which was coffee roasted organic carrots, verbena harissa yoghurt, pickled purple carrots, oat crumble, coriander oil.
The carrots were pure gold as was cooked to perfection, being soft and sweet with a hint of coffee giving it a very unique flavour.
Next we was onto our mains.
Which was a #feastofwonders which was a bowl of beef tagine, spiced rice, shirazi salad, pineapple, and mint salsa.
The beef was rich and tender.
The rice was colourful and full of flavour.
The unique salad was refreshing and looked like mini jewels.
For dessert it was Princess Jizzmines Milk which was of rose and cardamon mahalabia, toasted pistachios.
Was white and creamy being very tasty.
Finally A Happy Ending of apricot and blackberry jewelled fruit jellies.
Which was like a Turkish delight. Was sugary and juicy. A real gem.
Plus during dining on exotic diamond dishes and jewelled desserts I sipped on several different unique cocktails all of which were so good and sharp.
All the dishes were created and cooked by Wearepopco who provide dining and event collaborations.
The end
Before this fairy-tale was over there was a tense moment as Aladdin had lost the lamp in the launderette and so there was a fight over who could find the lamp of wonders, wonders, wonders.
Once found the question was how to get the Genie to appear from the lamp?
Then eventually poof a Genie appeared but just like Seri was unable to help due to not understanding question and just like that poof vanishes.
However the lamp was not required as Aladdin like in the fairy-tale wins the hand of Jizzmine.
Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders provided a hedonistic combination of cabaret, laughs, food and drink.
Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders truly did take us on an enchanting journey and we ended the night dancing with all at a glorious street party, which provided plenty of tunes giving everyone the opportunity to show their magical moves.
Verdict
This Asian cabaret performance written, directed and choerographged by Shay Shay provided a show full of laughter along with glamorous drag artists whom took us all on a theatrical journey through Scrubbers Land and the Window’s Laundrette all the way to the Sultan’s lavish palace.
I highly recommend if you are looking for a great night out filled with drag queens, an immersive pantomime, great food and a wild party.
Cast on the night
All the actors looked amazing with their costumes designed by Darling and Edge and all played out their roles really well giving the characters a unique twist providing us all plenty of laughs.
Thanks to
Window Hanky, aka Mama played by Crayola
Aladdin played by Janina
Jaclose played by Angelo
Princess Jizzmine played by Kerry
for providing such a magical night of wonder.
Take yourself to Sultan’s Palace
The Vaults
Leake Street
London
Show runs from 1st October – 15th January.
3 hours (bar open until late after performance!)
Tuesday – Sunday
Doors: 6.30pm
Show: 7.30pm
Matinees: 2.30pm throughout December
Ticket includes a diamond dinner fit for the Empress
Tickets cost from £40 – £75
Show is strictly for adults (18+)
Book via https://www.thevaults.london/aladdin-and-the-feast-of-wonders
Thank you to Darling and Edge and Jizzmine for inviting me and another member of Love Pop Ups London along to the royal feast.
Click below to be redirected to read the other community members blogs who joined me on the night. Their views are of their own honest opinions.
“I love going out discovering new and existing restaurants, theatres, immersive experiences and so much more but I also love staying in and discovering new gadgets, gaming and cooking.
