Robin Hood

Well, thanks for the beginning of our visits to pantos for 2026.

A super start with Robin Hood. The Wardens are a very experienced panto company. The standard was just as good despite several difficulties and the weather was not condusive for travel during rehearsals. This pantomime is the first panto I have visited which did not have a Dame in the cast. However, the company was able to cover by clever re-writing traditional sketches, covered with other performers. All responses from the audience were noisy and plentiful.

I went on the opening night and would not have known their problems and the performance was up to its usual high standard. The story of Robin Hood is known by everyone. All of the characters were there and there was a twist in the tale. There were cheers for the “goodie” Evergreen (Donna Richards) and boos for the “baddie” Sheriff of Nottingham (Nathan Guy). Donna, dressed in green, has a beautiful voice and encouraged us with her happy disposition. Nathan was a well spoken Sheriff but he and his mother Morganna (Theresa Jones) certainly got lots of boos. Theresa had a very expressive face.

Once the good and bad had established their characters the curtains opened on the very special Great Oak of Sherwood, a huge tree which talked “Oakey Dokey”.

Robin Hood (Alex Neil) had a good singing voice and stage presence. His brother Daf the Daft (Sion Wyn) also fell in love with Marion (Miri Llwyd). Sion played a good comedy role and related well with the rest of the cast. Marion was a modern lass and made up her own mind; sting in the tail was her refusing to marry Robin or Daf the Daft. She would choose her own husband. Therefore the final costumes were as beautiful, but couples not as anticipated. Robin’s Merry Men were led by a very merry couple, Friar Tuck (Ioan Guile) and Miss Mutch (Julie McNicholls-Vale). Ioan gave his all, both he and Julie took on a great deal of the Dame sketches, both skilful performers who obviously enjoy being on the stage.

The Sheriff’s Guards (Grant Thomas and Owen Jac Roberts) were the two stooges and got everything wrong and funny. Owen played an excellent part, including different accents and athleticism.

Owain, Heir to the Throne (Charlie Land) was very confident and I think will go far. El, Heir to the Throne, (Mali Lennon) played her part quietly.

Of course pantos have lots of individual elements which complement one another – costumes, scenery, music, dancing, lighting, props. Such a lot of work including back stage.

The scenery was colourful and the tree and dragon were very impressive. Unfortunately the dragon flame failed to light but I am sure it did for the rest of the run. Costumes were also colourful, but of course we missed all of the Dame’s costume changes. I wondered if Friar Tuck had a dress for the particular flirting scenes as the show evolved.

The choreographer (Charlotte Davies) had trained her dancers very well. They all knew just what they were doing and were able to perform complicated movements. The school scene allowed both Daf the Daft to amuse us as he continuously fell from the bench, and the youngsters to show just how to follow movement instructions “to the letter”. The younger members were a joy to watch, they were excellent. I loved their fairy dance.

There were several really funny sketches, the song involving confectionery names was clever and the sound technicians had to be on their toes.

Pantos often involve “if I were not upon the stage” routine. It must take lots of imagination and rehearsals to interact the different movements. Very funny and no one got hurt (I think!).

The singing was super, under the baton of Elinor Powell. I had taken some visitors from Sweden with me, as they do not have pantos there. They were not disappointed and had a wonderful night.

Well done Richard and crew. I hope to see you again next year.

 

The views in this report are solely of the author.

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