ROBIN HOOD: Forest Forge touring to 18th January 2003

Robin Hood
by Philip Goulding

Runs 2hours: One Interval

www.forestforge.demon.co.uk

Review Mark Courtice: 18th January 2003

New Forest version of Sherwood lacks verve
Forest Forge tour their work to village halls and community centres across the New Forest. After a run of well received shows, their seasonal offerings are now an eagerly awaited part of the traditional scene. Robin Hood is a family Christmas show favourite; it has it all – fighting, romance, disguises, chivalry and a funny fat man in Friar Tuck. What a shame that the meeting of these two sure things just does not work.

This whole enterprise had the air of a job that had to be done, without enthusiasm, wit or pleasure. A cut down version by the normally reliable Philip Goulding meant we had to do without Prince John, or anything much in the way of plot, as he gave up on trying to tell the whole story. Goulding just used four episodes to sketch us towards the narrative, relying on its familiarity to fill in the gaps.

The choice of episodes was strange; two wooings, one old favourite (the recruitment of Little John), and one unfamiliar (an episode about a butcher). Occasional pantomime standbys like “he’s behind you” and “Oh, no, I ‘m not” were grafted on as an expedient, not as part of a coherent show. When the good-natured audience replied, they seemed just to be going through the motions, too.

The four performers swapped and chased through 25 characters with the desperate energy of those pursuing a lost cause. There was no time (and in this script no material) to create people who we might warm to, or care about. The music (well played and sung by the company) was efficient and jolly while not inspiring us. The set which had a faintly “Book of Hours”-ish feel to it in green, red and gold, lacked surprises.

Throughout the direction seemed leaden-footed. Act 2 was particularly hard work as the show tried to bring us suddenly up to speed on the return of King Richard. By now, any attempt to entertain us seemed to have been stolen to give to the poor, and audience participation was limited to lots of noisy trips to the toilet.

Marian: Alice Barclay
Robin Hood: Giovanni Cacciacarro
Ellen-A-Dale: Rebekah Janes
Allan-A-Dale: Justin McCarron

Director: Martin Wylde
Designer: David Haworth
Composer: Clive Fishlock

2003-01-26 17:12:01