The people working behind the scenes to create the magic of Christmas panto, Aladdin, by Jordan Productions, at The Palace Theatre, Newark

Panto season is in full swing, but have you ever wondered what goes into creating the magic?

Behind the rude jokes, stunning set, and fantastical fancy dress, a team is hard at work behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly helping to create the magic of panto.

The Advertiser spoke with some of the backstage heroes working on Aladdin, at Newark Palace Theatre, who help keep the magic of panto alive.

Over the month of December, the Palace will host dozens of shows, often twice a day, with morning or matinee performances for school visits, and evening shows too.

After only its first week, the theatre also surpassed 20,600 ticket ticket sales, beating a record set by last year’s production of Snow White.

Stage hands, prop technicians, lighting, and more, it takes an army working together and knowing their roles inside and out to make each day a success.

Aladdin's director, Phil Stewart, is in the unique situation that not only will he be orchestrating the whole production, but is also playing the panto dame, Widow Twankey.

"It's quite hard to have the authority when you're dressed up like that." he jokes.

"We've really hit the ground running this year, but we find things all the time that need changing.

"But that's panto, things change from show to show and you have to adapt to a different audience -- no two shows are the same.

"I want my actors to bring their own personality and ideas to their and that can throw things off a little.

"It's funny, because as The Dame, my role is to come in and basically disrupt everything -- as director I'm keeping everything on track.

"But there are a lot of moving parts and it takes a real team effort to make it a success."

One of the most crucial roles in any show is that of the company stage manager, Megs Heathcote.

Unlike the director, she is in charge of the more technical aspects of the show, looking after health and safety, writing after show reports, and even calling pyrotechnics cues.

She said: "It's a very fun job -- but with so many responsibilities it can be quite stressful.

"We do 12 shows a week, so it takes a lot of stamina and looking out for people's wellbeing, but I love it.

"We're bringing so much talent together in one place, and just hearing the way the kids react makes it all worthwhile.

"What I love so much about panto is it brings theatre to a lot of people that usually wouldn't have access.

"I actually watched my first panto here [at The Palace Theatre] as a child -- so being able to say that I'm in charge is incredible, it's all come full circle."

With hundreds of items of clothing to keep track of throughout a run, being head of wardrobe can be quite the task but Georgia Rawlings takes it in her stride.

"On the first day of rehearsals I get given a big book with details about all the costumes for specific people.

"The Dame has a lot of fabulous outfit, with lots of specific pieces that go together, and I'm always ready for that quick costume change.

"I have my Aladdin's cave filled with costumes and after a few shows I don't even need the book anymore -- I know it all inside and out.

"It's a long run, we're here all month, so things will go wrong and things will need fixing, but I'm here at the side of the stage with my trusty sewing machine up and ready."

Musical director, Ben Ward, explained: "I spend a week with the cast teaching them the songs, seeing what does and doesn't work

"I also create all the extra music in between the scenes and the dialgoue, but in panto no two shows are the same, so what might have been planned as a three second filler might need to be extended to 30 seconds -- it's all very fluid.

"We basically have to make it look as if nothing has changed and it's the same for a lot of our jobs.

"If you notice what we're doing, we're not doing it right."

Aladdin is produced by Jordan Productions and continues its run at the Palace Theatre until December 31.