Poster image for Aladdin at The O2
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Lily Savage returns to stage as Widow Twankey in O2 Aladdin

Paul O'Grady will return to the London stage this Christmas as his alter ego Lily Savage playing Widow Twankey in a large-scale production of Aladdin staged in a purpose-built 1900-seat theatre under the canopy of The O2 arena.

Savage, who according to the show's producers will appear "by kind permission of Paul O'Grady", will reprise her 2010 performance from the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton.

Playing strictly limited 35 performances, Aladdin will run from 7 December 2012 to 5 January 2013.

Paul O'Grady previous theatre appearances have included Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium (in which he played a 12-week season as The Childcatcher), Annie (in which he played Miss Hannigan), Prisoner of Cell Block H - The Musical and Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens as well as numerous stand-up tours and West End gigs.

O'Grady will also be hosting Coronation Street musical Street of Dreams, which will debut in Manchester in May before visiting the O2 in Dublin, Belfast's Odyssey Arena and Newcastle's Metro Radio Arena later that month.

On television as Savage, O'Grady presents the quiz show Blankety Blank while on film, and out of drag, he has appeared in Chariots of Fire and In the Name of the Father.

O'Grady retired Lily Savage in 2004, going on to host a daily Channel 4 chat show The Paul O'Grady Show from 2004 to 2009 and a Friday night show Paul O'Grady Live for two series from 2010 to 2011.

Savage was resurrected for the 2010 Southampton pantomime season where she appeared alongside Jon Lee as Aladdin, Darren Bennett as Abanazar and Marissa Dunlop as Princess Jasmine.

Further casting for Aladdin at The O2 has still to be announced.

Speaking about his upcoming engagement O'Grady said: "Lily had such a great time playing Widow Twankey last time in Southampton that I am delighted she gets to have another go and that this will be in her very own, brand new purpose built theatre at The O2 – which will be filled with the magic of Old Peking!"

Aladdin is produced by Michael Rose Ltd whose recent credits include Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Irving Berlin’s White Christmas The Musical, A Steady Rain as well as seven Christmas seasons at The Mayflower, Southampton.

- by Andrew Girvan

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