James Rae and Mike Cornick have combined their extensive experience in the field of music education in the writing of 'Ali Baba!', a musical show which is within the reach of performers across a wide age-range.
The story of Ali Baba has been updated and very freely adapted to allow for the inlcusion of many features with which today's audiences will readily identify; the cave of the Forty Thieves has become a lock-up garage, for instance, and the stolen goods now include video games, mobile phones, car wheel-trims etc., as well as the all-important gold. Ali Baba runs a Pizza Restaurant and his brother, Cassim, is the proprietor of a video rental shop. All of the essential pantomime elements have been retained, however, and there are endless possibilities for comic business.
There are twelve songs, an overture (which is reprised as a play out) and incidental music cues to assist the characters with their entries, exits and some of their jokes! Producers have the option of using simple piano accompaniments, fully orchestrated tracks from the compact disc, or, if a "live" performance is to be given, of hiring band parts from Universal Edition.
The script may be freely adapted or used in its entirety. There are principal parts for soloists, comic characters, a pantomime camel and scope for a chorus of younger performers as well as more sophisticated chorus parts. Dance routines may be choreographed for chorus numbers as required.
Stage sets may be as simple or elaborate as cirumstances permit. Some lighting cues have been indicated in the script but producers will certainly wish to adapt these to suit their performance venue.
