Audience members at the opening performance of De Montfort Hall's first panto in nearly two decades have given the show the thumbs up.
Aladdin began a three-week run this weekend and was given a warm welcome by theatre goers at yesterday's matinee.
Heading up the cast as The Empress of China is funny woman Jocelyn Lee Esien, star of BBC 3 hidden-camera show 3 Non-Blondes and Little Miss Jocelyn.
She is joined by comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli as the Genie of the Lamp and BBC Radio Leicester's Martin Ballard as Pong the policeman.
Theatregoer Amanda Ward, 37, of Stocking Farm, Leicester, was there on an outing with friends, said: "It was really good and it's nice to see panto in a big venue like this in Leicester."
Sue Goodacre, 53, of Anstey Lane, Leicester, said: "It was a bit quiet to begin with but the cast and the audience started to warm up as the show went on."
Friend Julie George, 55, of Groby, said: "It's really good to have panto back in Leicester after all these years."
Johnny Murphy, 75, of Western Park, Leicester was there with wife Elaine, 71 and great grandchildren Liddia(c) Murphy and six-year-olds Izzy and Chloe Docherty.
He said: "It's very good, we enjoyed it. We've been going to the one in Loughborough over the years with various children and now great grandchildren. It's nice to have one a bit closer to home."
Izzy said: "It was really good when Aladdin got stuck in the cave."
Liddia said: "The best bit was the panda" and Chloe said: "I liked all of it."
Gabrielle Miller, of De Montfort Hall, said: "The opening weekend is very busy with near capacity audiences for the two shows today.
"The bigger venue means a bigger production and it's good for Leicester to have its own big panto production so people don't have to travel elsewhere."
Aladdin tells the tale of a young street urchin who discovers a magic lamp.
From it, he unwittingly unleashes a wild and wacky genie who grants him three wishes.
The script is by Hackney Empire artistic director Susie McKenna, who is from Leicester.
Aladdin – De Montfort Hall, Leicester. Until January 5. Tickets on 0116 233 3111 or: www.demontforthall.co.uk
