Durban actor Rory Booth has his hands full with presenting The Xtra Factor on television, performing regularly in a radio drama, his music career and now a key role in Kickstart’s Aladdin which begins next week. He spoke to Latoya Newman about all this and more.
IT’S that time when you can feel the festive spirit as we anticipate the year end and, of course, Christmas shopping!
But there’s something else that has locals waiting in anticipation in Durban, and that’s the annual Kickstart pantomime – Aladdin.
We caught up with Rory Booth to find out what we can expect to see of him in the production.
“The misconception often made when people see Aladdin is that they think they’re coming to see the Disney production with the blue genie and the monkey, but a pantomime is your own twist of a popular fairy tale. Kickstart’s Aladdin is set in China. It’s Chinese sets, Chinese choreography, Chinese music… so it’s quite an exotic contrast and nice place to play in with the story,” he explained.
According to a press release the show will feature popular songs, jokes, glamorous costumes and sumptuous sets ranging from a cave of wonders full of dancing jewels to a golden Chinese palace.
It stars Bryan Hiles (Wishee Washee), Darren King (Widow Twankey), Iain Robinson (Abanazar, the evil magician), Georgina Mabbett (Princess Jasmine), Booth (Genie of the Ring), and newcomer Nathan Kruger as Aladdin.
“The character I play is the Genie of the Ring. He is one of the immortal characters in the show. There’s myself and there’s the Genie of the Lamp, which is going to be a surprise to see how that works,” he teases, adding: “… and there is the goddess Isis.
“The Genie of the Ring and the Genie of the Lamp fall under the goddess Isis, who is in control of everything. My character is able to grant certain things, but the Genie of the Lamp can grant bigger things. Now when the ring or the lamp falls into the wrong hands there’s trouble ahead,” he said.
Booth said this show is one of writer/director Steven Stead’s most magical: “There are a lot of magic sequences and quick scene changes, literally done at the click of a finger. And a lot of sleight-of-hand magic also happens, which I had to learn,” he laughed, adding: “And let’s just say you can look forward to a Bollywood fusion in the show when the Genie of the Ring performs the song It’s a kind of Magic, but it’s the Queen song like you’ve never heard before!”
Commenting on presenting The Xtra Factor (which offers behind-the- scenes peeks and interviews of the reality show The X-Factor SA on SABC 3), Booth said it’s been an amazing experience: “I’ve learnt so much in such a short time about good presenting skills. The production team and everyone involved are good people and teach you a lot. X-Factor is also a really emotional show because every week you get to know the contestants so well, but also every week you have to say goodbye to some of them.
“I’m at the live shows filming behind-the-scenes stuff and we shoot part of the show in studio. I’m looking forward to the future and hoping this will open more doors for me in TV. I’ve been working quite a lot behind the scenes in film and writing more, but hopefully this will get me more presenting and acting opportunities.”
You can also hear Booth daily on the Sunshine Mall radio drama on Lotus FM which airs Monday to Friday at 9.45am, with a repeat at 9.30pm where he plays Deena, a flamboyant florist in Sunshine Mall.
• Aladdin, Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, Dec 5to Jan 11. Book at Computicket. For block bookings: Ailsa Windsor at 083 250 2690.