Aladdin – Read Joe McElderry’s interview
9th January 2026
Joe McElderry takes to the stage as Spirit of the Ring in Newcastle Theatre Royal’s panto Aladdin (playing until Sun 18 Jan 2026), the South Shields singer/songwriter reflects on his fifth year as part of the panto cast, his incredible performing relationship with Danny Adams, and why North East audiences are the best…
What makes Panto at Newcastle Theatre Royal so special?
I’ve done panto shows all over the country but there is something so unique about Newcastle. Such an impressive amount of people come every year, many booking before they’ve even seen the previous year’s production. It’s testament to what the team have built up here at Newcastle Theatre Royal over the years. This year is special too because it’s the 20th anniversary year of Danny & Clive and panto producer Michael Harrison!
Tell us about the story of this year’s panto Aladdin (without giving too much away!).
This is a brand new panto, it’s got a twist to it and it’s an exciting twist, not what the audience will be used to. Obviously sticking to the well-known story but with some nice surprises along the way. There are some great songs, some hilarious comedy scenes, and some fantastic special effects. It’s really like a West End musical on stage here and it’s amazing to be a part of. We stand here in the wings in the parts when we’re not on stage and we think: “Wow!” It’s such an incredible feeling to be a part of it!
How much are the audiences a vital part of the performances?
With pantomime, the audience dictates what goes on. When we’re doing a scene, especially the comedy and Danny & Clive routines, so much of it goes off-piste when the audience gets involved. The pantomime evolves and changes throughout. We do eight weeks of shows, and each day something different happens, and it gets bigger and more outrageous!
What keeps you going when you do a panto run?
It’s honestly just the energy from the audience. We do three shows on a Saturday, which is pretty intense. You get to the first show and you think: “How am I going to do this another two times?” And before you know it the day has flown past. When we’re not on stage, doing a number, or singing or doing a comedy routine, we’re off stage getting changed or we’re getting clipped into some special suit that’s going to make you fly over the audience. It’s like a full-blown show backstage too – that is so fascinating to watch. The greatest thing about pantomime is you just laugh every day and we have as much fun backstage as we do on stage. It does get tiring, but I can’t say it’s hard work because it’s totally enjoyable.
How is panto different to doing other shows like a West End production?
It is its own artform and I think Danny (Adams), Clive (Webb) and Chris (Hayward) are the masters of their craft, and to be welcomed into that and be working with them has been amazing over the last five years. No show is ever the same and that’s the beauty of pantomime. It’s the off-script, gold moments where people feel like they are seeing things for the first time, and often, in some of the scenes, they are because we do something different every day.
Is the need to improvise quite stressful at times?
It can be, but I love it. My background of starting out many years ago on The X Factor, meant I had to adapt and learn things quickly. It’s not scary for me, I work better under pressure. If I wasn’t nervous, I’d be more terrified to go on stage. I am kept on my toes with Danny, I never know what is coming next, but we’ve built up a good friendship, and we can look at each other with an eye contact and know where each other are going to go. That’s a special relationship. I feel very lucky to have that. When you have that with another performer it’s quite rare. We’re able to do whatever we want really, within reason!
Aladdin plays Newcastle Theatre Royal until Sun 18 Jan 2026. Jack and the Beanstalk plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 24 Nov 2026 – Sun 17 Jan 2027. Tickets for both productions can be purchased at www.theatreroyal.co.uk or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.