Robin Hood

This was my first visit to a NATS performance and we were warmly welcomed by the creative team. The village hall is a great venue and there was a buzz of excitement in the audience. Becky Monk and Steve Dunn’s production started with an energetic opening from a large cast of all ages. Their direction made use of all of the deep stage area and the many exits available. It was a witty script with a few local jokes and cultural references added. Each member of the ensemble had more than one role and gave them total commitment. Lizzie McMillan’s choreography was appropriate for the music choices and gave everyone a chance to shine. There were some strong soloists and good ensemble singing.

Each performer understood their character. Much, Chiara Stabellini, was enthusiastic and endearing with great facial expressions. Jo Bytham’s Enchantress coped well with the rhymes and rhythms and added humour where she could. Riley Millar as Robin Hood was a traditional principal boy but with added modern swagger, proud of his hair and his muscles. Maid Marian was a tricky part as she didn’t really get going until she confronted the Sheriff of Nottingham and then Chloe Mosby was determined and feisty.Stuart Savill as Nanny was a warm and funny Dame, never over the top but encouraging the audience and dealing with a particularly saucy chap with ease. Nickit and Scarper, John Oglesby and Sven Steinbauer, were a great partnership. They both had lovely comic timing and trust in each other. I enjoyed their ‘magic triks’ and the audience singalong with Much. Peter Hewlett as the Sheriff of Nottingham commanded the stage, looked great in his sparkly waistcoat and  had a lovely tone as he sang. His Soothsayer, Kate Featherstone, had excellent diction and comic timing and her solo Diva number was a highlight.The Merry Men all had their moments,The Riverdance number was very funny. Alex Phillimore-Brown had a lovely voice as Alan A Dale, even if he did keep getting interrupted. Nottingham’s Got Talent was a hoot, we enjoyed YMCA and the slight mis-time of the buzzer just made it all very amusing. The ensemble danced and delivered their lines confidently and always looked like they were enjoying themselves.As far as I could tell there was very little amplification but we heard almost every word, well done.

The scenery was relatively simple so there weren’t too many complicated scene changes. One went on for longer than expected but Nanny Norah adlibbed as necessary. The props were also fairly straight forward and carried on by the cast where appropriate. The collapsible bench was used well.

The costumes were mostly provided by the company with a few hired items to add impact. Nanny’s dresses were great and I liked how her socks matched her outfits. My favourite was her costume for Raining Men, the duck shower curtain worked a treat as did the stuck on patches! I liked the ivy and leaves added to Jo Bytham’s dress but think a more earthy colour would have worked better. The headdresses worn by the Enchantress and Soothsayer looked great and the Sheriff was striking in black, white and silver. Make up was subtle for most but I must highlight the Soothsayer and Nanny, they had very sparkly eyelashes and perfect wigs.

The lighting on stage was enhanced by lights over the audience and the sound effects and puffs of smoke added another layer of interest.

For all of the audience, this was an evening of laughter and fun. We sang, booed, cheered and even had the opportunity for cake. Thank for the invitation NATS.

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