As Disney’s Aladdin continues to light up the Birmingham Hippodrome stage, the timeless classic is brought to life with a dazzling cast and breathtaking special effects. But what does it take to bring these iconic characters to the stage? We caught up with three of the show’s stars—Desmonda Cathabel (Jasmine), Adam Strong (Jafar), and Angelo Paragoso (Iago)—to find out. Don’t miss the magic before the show ends on 3 November.
From left to right: Desmonda Cathabel as Jasmine, Adam Strong as Jafar, and Angelo Paragoso as Iago.
Playing the role of Princess Jasmine comes with much expectation, especially in a Disney production where millions have grown up loving the character. For Desmonda Cathabel, this pressure is balanced by a creative freedom instilled by the production team.
“It’s quite a character to play, we are all really lucky to have a really great creative team,” she explains. “I have never felt like I have to do Princess Jasmine a certain way. I trust that I can bring the truth to her character because for me, she’s just like a real girl in the real world, with real aspirations, with real wants, real needs and you see her everywhere. You know I see her in myself, I see her in my friends. I see her in young girls all over the world; so, I think that is what I have been keeping in mind.”
She is quick to point out that her version of Jasmine isn’t a drastic departure from the character audiences know and love. In fact, the stage version of Aladdin gives Jasmine more room to shine. “We don’t get to see her a lot in the film, but in this show she has more to do – more songs, more dialogue – so I guess I have that advantage of showing people a Jasmine they haven’t seen before. It makes sense to have written Jasmine in the modern setting, I don’t have to do mental gymnastics and think ‘How do I play this princess from centuries ago?’. She is just ‘real’, and what she is as a person is so universal to everyone, even in this day and age. It’s quite easy to play her as a modern, real character.”
For Adam Strong, who plays the sinister Jafar, the role is a childhood dream come true. “I‘ve always wanted to play Jafar. I’ve been drawn to him since the animation came out. I think that it’s so opposite to who I am that I really get to play a character. He is so explosive, so smart and unpredictable. It’s fascinating to play.”
But Jafar isn’t just about being evil; Adam’s portrayal brings a blend of menace and humour to the role. “It’s all in the facial expressions,” he explains. “You never know what you are going to get from him. It’s like a ‘wink-wink, nudge-nudge’. When he’s around the Sultan for most of the show he’s so courteous but when he’s around Aladdin, or when he scolds Iago, you get that villainous side.”
Angelo Paragoso, who plays the mischievous Iago, took an unusual approach to his preparation. “I watched a lot of the animation and different types of comedy styles, and that’s how I put my own interpretation on it. Funnily enough, and you might find this ridiculous, I was watching a lot of parrot videos! Watching how they move their heads, all of that stuff.”
Despite the physical demands of the role – being thrown on the floor or the wall during some of Jafar’s more explosive moments – Angelo revels in the laughter that Iago brings to the stage. “I can’t talk enough about the laughter that we have, on stage and off stage. We’re having far too much fun in this job and that’s what I really enjoy.”
Adam and Angelo’s on-stage chemistry is one of the highlights of the show. “It’s very much a double act,” Adam notes. “We’ve created these characters together and it’s not just about us being Jafar and Iago, it’s how MY Jafar is with HIS Iago. We’ve got a very unique relationship on stage, and I think that does show to an audience. We do a tango at the end, and there’s like a foot height between us – my shoes are slightly higher than his anyway and I’ve got a turban on and this massive costume. It’s hilarious because he looks tiny and I look like a giant.” Angelo adds: “There are things that we do on stage and they are like ‘oh my gosh that’s absolutely ridiculous’, or ‘how do they come up with that, or ‘why is he doing that it’s just too funny’.”
Music is a huge part of what makes Aladdin so magical, and each actor has their own favourite moment in the show. For Desmonda, it’s Jasmine’s solo, Speechless. “It’s a belter! I can really belt it out to an audience which is what I love to do,” she says. “That song in particular talks about the things that you face as a woman; that you are sometimes trapped in this cage of society’s expectations or norms – this is what I want, I want to make my own decisions, I want to be free and I want to enjoy my life.”
Adam and Angelo’s favourite number is Diamond in the Rough a song unique to the stage version where Jafar and Iago try to convince Aladdin to enter the cave to get the lamp for them. “It’s really fun to do that on stage; it’s just a great number to do,” adds Adam.
Of course, no Aladdin production would be complete without the iconic magic carpet ride. Adam explains: “You’re going to see Desmonda and Arun flying on a magic carpet! We do a technical rehearsal in every venue we come to, and we’re watching it from the front and you think – ‘How?’. From the audience’s perspective it’s spellbinding. The kids absolutely love it because it’s Disney so it’s done very, very well.”
As the show opens in Birmingham, the cast is excited to bring the magic of Aladdin to the Hippodrome’s stage. For Desmonda, it’s her first time visiting the city – “I’m always looking forward to the food in every single city. Give me the lists; give me all the coffee shops list!”. Adam and Angelo, however, are no strangers to the city. “We love Birmingham … and the Bullring, obviously,” laughs Adam. “We both just love shopping. I did all my house shopping in the Bullring last time I was here.”
