21 November – 31 December
If you are looking for a wonderfully entertaining, family show this Christmas, you need look no further than the Barn Theatre’s latest festive offering. ‘The True Adventures of Marian and Robin Hood’ is a rollicking, raucous, rip-roaring rollercoaster of a show which will keep all ages laughing from start to finish.
As the curtain rises on pantomime season in theatres across the country this week, the Barn has opted for something a little different, eschewing more conventional Christmas-tide titles in favour of a mirthful, magical and musical re-imagining of the Robin Hood legend. The creative team at the Barn, led by director Francesca Goodridge and adaptor Alan Pollock, have produced a real Christmas gift of a show, bringing together eight multi-talented individuals into a fantastic ensemble performance.
As the eponymous Marian, Izzy Neish leads a strong, largely female cast in an inverted retelling which is very much Maid Marian’s story, and in which it is she, supported by her Merry Women, who comes to Robin Hood’s rescue, all the while resisting the odious attentions of the evil Odo, Sheriff of Nottingham, deliciously hammed up with Alan Rickman-esque relish by the impressive Ethan Reid, who makes his professional stage debut with aplomb.
This talented cast rarely leaves the stage; when not acting, they are providing the music on a wide range of instruments. Much of the time they are actually doing both simultaneously; with most of them having trained as actor-musicians, they transition seamlessly and skilfully between both disciplines. Well-choreographed fight scenes mean a healthy dose of swashbuckling, and as Robin Hood himself suggests, much ‘derring-do’ as well. The show bristles with energy and humour, and the Barn’s intimate setting means the audience always feels closely connected to the characters and the narrative, with some panto-style audience participation thrown in for good measure.
However, amidst the hilarity, hysteria and high jinks, ‘The True Adventures of Marian and Robin Hood’ has a magical, spiritual quality too. There are several nods to Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, not least the forest setting which is common to both tales, and an epilogue which Puck himself might have uttered, whilst Catrin Mai Edwards, when not tomfooling around as a jesterly lackey, imbues the production with a more sombre, haunting and mystical tone as a harp-playing Green Man (or Woman?). This is suggestive of a deeper spiritual power which resides amongst the trees of Sherwood, a fitting and recurring motif in these times of heightened environmental awareness. Alfie Heywood’s set design is clever, imaginative and versatile, and without the need for an exorbitant budget too.
Pollock’s script sparkles with wit without ever crossing over into the cheap double-entendres which are common to so many Christmas shows. And yet adults will find so much to enjoy in this too – the occasional innuendoes are very understated. This is a funny and family-friendly show for all ages, and the perfect festive treat.
★★★★★ Tony Clarke 24 November 2022
Photo credit: Alex Tabrizi
