Starring Fred Grades, Will B. Able, Avril Gentles, and Victoria Mallory
Directed by Nick Havinga
Music by Jim Eiler and Jeanne Bargey; Lyrics by Jeanne Bargey
Let's return to television and revisit the Prince Street Players for their fourth and final musical special from the mid-60's. In fact, if this seems familiar, I've already covered the Disney Channel remake from 1990. I wasn't crazy about the cheap-ish cable movie, but now that I finally have the chance to compare it to the original, how well does the Prince Street Players' version hold up? Let's begin with the stage manager in Asian dress (Don Liberto) as he explains the story and his role...or roles...in it and find out...
The Story: Aladdin (Grades) falls for the Princess Mei Ling (Mallory) when he chases his kite into the Emperor's garden. They fall for each other right then and there, but Mei Ling is promised to a wealthy man, and Aladdin has no money. Desperate to win her hand, Aladdin follows a man claiming to be his uncle (Robert Dagney) into a cave full of treasures. The man, who is really an evil magician, is more interested in the lamp among the jewels than any treasure chest. Fortunately, Aladdin isn't able to get it to him before he's shut up in the cave.
Rubbing the lamp produces a genial genie (Able) who is not only able to free him, but gives him and his beloved mother (Gentles) more than enough money to win Mei-Ling. He also gives him a life-sized dancing doll named Fatima (Graziella Able) who impresses the sultan. Aladdin does marry Mei-Ling, but the magician isn't finished with his treachery just yet. Tricking Aladdin's mother, he convinces her to give him the lamp and takes the genie and castle for himself. Fortunately, Fatima has a ring that contains one last genie (Able) who is able to help Aladdin get rid of the evil magician for good.
The Song and Dance: Lovely music and a genuine attempt to recreate Asian theater tropes are the saving graces here. It's kind of fascinating what they do with limited resources, from the nifty effects for the Genie to how the Genie moves the castle. I also appreciate that they stick to the original Aladdin as told in the Arabian Nights. In Arabian Nights, Aladdin is set in China, and there were two genies, one of the lamp, one of the ring. Will B. Able is having by far the most fun here as the lovable Genie, though Grades does make a charming and determined Aladdin, too.
The Numbers: We open with Aladdin singing about "Flying My Kite" as the Station Manager plays his father scolding him and a neighbor discussing Aladdin with his despairing mother. Mei-Ling singing about "A Lovely Morning In China" turns into a chorus number for her, Aladdin, and her ladies-in-waiting in the garden. Mei-Ling reprises it with the ladies after Aladdin leaves. The magician gives us an instrumental dance routine as he verbally describes the reason he needs Aladdin to get the lamp for him. His mother admits that she loves "Aladdin," but he's also terribly lazy.
"The Magician's Chants" opens the cave and lets Aladdin find the treasure. The Genie does his own spirited dance as he explains to Aladdin that he's "A Good Genie." He releases them from the cave "In the Wink of an Eye." "Fatima's Dance" is intricate and charming enough to impress the Emperor into giving Aladdin Mei-Ling's hand in marriage. "Lovely Evening In China" becomes a chorus number as all of China attends Aladdin and Mei-Ling's wedding. Mei-Ling sings at her "Tea Time" with Aladdin. She's not as happy with her "Tea Time" with the magician after he gets his hands on the Genie. It ends with everyone returning to China to a reprise of "A Wink of an Eye."
Trivia: Bless Will B. Able for nailing that dance in "A Good Genie!" The entire cast got a flu bug, and he apparently had a 103 degree fever when he filmed it.
What I Don't Like: The flu bug may explain some of the lackluster performances, particularly from Mallory, who overdoes her Chinese accent to the point of being annoying. Oh, and as in the 1990 remake, there's not an Asian actor to be seen. These are all whites in (bad) Asian makeup. Though they do manage to make the most out of the limited production, the fact remains that this is a TV musical for kids from the 1960's and looks it. You're not getting a recent live extravaganza. Plus, there'a a few points where someone, usually the Genie, will talk directly to the camera or encourage the kids to play along. It's likely leftover from the original stage show, but it comes off as kind of odd on TV.
The Big Finale: This is cute, but it also hasn't dated that well. It's not my favorite of the Prince Street Players musicals, but they all have their good points if you have younger kids (and can explain the thing with people in Asian makeup).
Home Media: As with the other Prince Street Players musicals, this can currently only be found on YouTube.
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