The legend of Robin Hood reimagined is what awaits this year at the Rose, courtesy of writer Chris Bush.
OUR VERDICT
Photo by Mark Douet
Bush, who penned the wonderful Standing at the Sky’s Edge, is clearly trying to give audiences some social and political nudges here along with a liberal helping of festive cheer, and the show is all the richer for it, even if it does intermittently try to pack in a little too many things.
The year is 1192, and Robin Hood and Marian are living in Sherwood Forest, trying to care for a ragged bunch of children but finding the cost of living squashing their most valiant efforts.
Usually, there’s an annual reprieve from this hardship in the form of a festive feast. Still, this year, the ebullient, miserly Sherriff of Nottingham (a scene-stealing Andrew Whitehead) has cancelled this rare pleasure, citing the need for essential cutbacks.
Hearing that he’s instead planning to host a lavish welcome for visiting royalty in the shape of a quivering Prince John, Robin and his motley crew decide to stage a heist and rescue Christmas from the precipice of disaster.
Anisha Fields provides a gorgeous, atmospheric set that doubles for both the Forest and the Court, and the children’s costumes are terrific, with all muted colours and earthy tones.
Photo by Mark Douet
There’s much to relish here, particularly the wonderful performances of the Rose Youth Theatre, the Blue Cast appearing on this occasion.
They alone would merit five stars.
Somewhat diluting the overall effect are the adult professionals playing Robin, Marian and Much, who bring brio but not enough conviction.
Whitehead, though, is a triumph, his Sheriff a dead-ringer for Henry VIII with the same tyrannical tendencies but with a lovely last-act redemption that conjures echoes of Scrooge and neatly provides a backstory for the origins of St Nicholas.
If it sounds like there’s a lot going on there certainly is, sometimes it does feel a mite overstuffed, sometimes it hits just the right note, like a Christmas stocking filled to the brim.
The magical addition of a life-size puppet in the shape of reindeer Rudolph (with a glowing red nose) courtesy of Little Angel Theatre is one of the show’s brightest additions, and it would be great to see him feature more frequently.
The songs too work best when performed by the whole ensemble, In The Bleak Midwinter a perfect fit for this rousing yuletide version of a classic tale.
