Robin Hood

Well, we were certainly entertained by Keighley Musical Theatre Company’s Pantomime. The script by Tom Whalley had jokes for all ages and they were delivered with pace and great comedy timing by a wide range of fantastic characters.

The prologue introduced us to the two opposing protagonists. The Sherwood Sprite (Alice Trow) came straight out of Eastenders, while Paul Rookes as the Sheriff delighted us with his velvet tones and his splendid bearing. Ironic that at the end of the show, the Sheriff should be defeated by a cameo from Peter Whitley, who popped up again, as Richard the Lionheart this year, to the delight of the regular Keighley audience.

Cut to the opening chorus delivered by a large ensemble of all ages. The choreography, by Judith Chapman was excellent as ever, the chorus well drilled and smiling as though this was the first time they had ever performed the numbers. All the music was very well chosen, always catchy and singable and the numbers were kept to the perfect length so that we were always entertained, never bored. Throughout the whole show the pace never waned.

Leading the chorus was Alice Chapman as Maid Marion. I have watched Alice since she was a little girl and she has grown into such an accomplished performer. In this role she was able to demonstrate her quick wit and comedy timing as well as looking pretty and singing well. An admirable principal girl.

The show was carried along on a wave of jokes by Jonny Tate and James Windle as Nanny Fanny Flapjack and Silly Willy Scarlett. The gags came thick and fast and the diction and amplification were spot on, so that never a word or a laugh was missed. This duo must have worked so hard to give us what appeared to be an effortless performance. Both had an instant rapport with the audience and knew how to work the crowd. Add to this that Jonny also directed the show and you can see the wealth of talent that KMTC displayed this year.

The running joke, Willy’s weapon and the cucumber sketch were hilarious for everyone but most particularly for the adults. There was clever innuendo throughout, which never went too far and topical jokes too which made the panto feel modern and fresh. An unusual ending to Act One was ‘We built this Village (City)’ when the ensemble had the opportunity to bring some real attitude. It worked very well, and presaged KMTC’s next show which will be We Will Rock You.

And what, you may ask, of Robin Hood and his Merry Men?

Well, they were there in force. Lucie Gill as Robin was strong and appropriately masculine in this role. She led with confidence and a great singing voice, really looking the part. She was ably supported by six assorted ‘Men’ who added great comedy support. Phoenix Bass as Alan-a-Dale the minstrel was especially amusing and Friar Tuck (Ian Mottram) also had his moment in the spotlight as he showed us his best break dancing. Additional comedy was delivered by the Sheriff’s henchmen, Scratch-It and Sniff (Ethan Lee and Tom Stokes) who brought humour to these roles. Lots of potential there for the future.

Technically, the show moved along with a pace with some really excellent projections to allow swift transitions. Wil Jones was again in the pit as Musical Director, leading a small band which gave a great sound. A combination of live and recorded music worked really well, and helped the show to move seamlessly along.

A massive shout out to the Wardrobe Team: Sarah Hibbert, Jasmine Hibbert and their helpers. All the costumes were fresh, colourful and extremely detailed. I did not miss the clean white petticoats below the peasant skirts, the can-can underwear and the attention to shoes and hair. Excellent work. Full marks too to the four can-can dancers. These steps are really hard work and they never flagged or stopped smiling.

Just before we ended, we were treated to ‘If I were not upon the Stage’. Kept short and well executed, this showed us that sometimes, the oldies are the goldies.

Well done to everyone involved in this super show. All the audience left feeling happy and relaxed. A wonderful way to spend some time while ‘the weather outside is frightful’. Thank you so much for the invitation.

 

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