28 November – 11 January
In a departure from the carousel of stock pantomime choices which have rotated on the Everyman stage for the last dozen years, this year sees Robin Hood swap Nottingham and Sherwood Forest for Gloucestershire and head south for Christmas instead. Perennial writers and directors Sam Holmes and Nick Winston have dialled down lewd comedy in favour of a traditional, family-friendly offering and with Robin Hood they have successfully hit their mark.
In true panto style, the plotline seems almost incidental, but Dan Wilshire and Jewelle Hutchison take the lead admirably as Robin and Maid Marian, teaming up to thwart Lizzie Bea’s villainous Sheriff of Gloucestershire and her scheming plans for, if not world domination, then certainly the Cotswolds.
Cheltenham audiences have become accustomed to high-budget, visually impressive festive productions for their panto: this one is no exception. Andrew Exeter’s lavish set is graced by some stunning costumes, with panto regular Kevin Brewis reprising his annual stint as dame, this time as Nursie who appears in no fewer than eight preposterous costumes, courtesy of designer Stewart Charlesworth. A strong ensemble group provide glitz and glamour with some well-choreographed and energetic set pieces, and equally impressive costumes, whilst musical director Alex Bellamy and his musicians provide a diverse score, fusing everything from Lady Gaga to Hall and Oates, Take That to Ed Sheeran, ensuring all musical tastes and styles are catered for. Kane Verrall makes a welcome return to the Everyman after a three-year hiatus as a suitably camp Will Scarlett too.
But this being Cheltenham, and this being panto, the real star of the show, as always, is Tweedy, Gloucestershire’s harlequin, jester and clown rolled into one with his unique blend of slapstick physical theatre and superb comic timing, this time in the guise of Friar Tweedy Tuck. Tweedy elevates this production to something which genuinely induces fits of laughter throughout the audience, most notably in an hilarious version of Ravel’s Bolero – you will never look at Torvill and Dean in the same way again.
The experience of watching a pantomime is, like a bad cracker joke, a unifying one, and there are plenty of gags for the audience to chuckle at, from digs at nearby Stroud and Tewkesbury to multiple knowing references to previous Cheltenham pantos. This is a show which gets better and better, with a particularly strong second act. Admittedly, some of the jokes needed a little updating – the Covid jabs and Liz Truss ship surely sailed a long time ago? – but there are plenty of more contemporary references and locally-based jokes for which panto is the perfect vehicle.
There are two musical numbers in particular which audiences of all ages will find hard to resist joining in, and without giving too much away, this year’s party-piece brings a sprinkling of festive magic to the Everyman, ensuring we all leave the theatre with a song on our lips and some Christmas cheer in our hearts.
★★★★☆ Tony Clarke 6 December 2025
Photography credit: Craig Fuller
