This, Roger Hall tells me, is his last panto after making the British theatre tradition a Christmas treat over here. Robin Hood is the best of the bunch, riddled with political and other contemporary references for the grown ups and silliness for the littlies.

The singing is gorgeous, notably Robin and Marion (Jamie McCaskill and Kali Kopae), the songs for the most part are catchy, Jenden’s costumes and [Susan Wilson’s] direction are a hoot, and Gavin Rutherford is a grand Dame.

The only real complaint is the duration (almost two hours running time), making for a very late night for the youngest members of the audience. Trimming the bulky and sometimes tedious first part would make the world of difference, and make it less of a contrast to the fabulously fast and furious second part.

No need to explain the storyline. McCaskill is a dashing and delicious Robin Hood who is clearly having a great time with the role, and Kopae’s kick-ass Marion is great, though we could do with more stage time for her.

As mentioned, Rutherford’s outrageous Mrs Hood is just devine, a cross between Ginette McDonald and Eddie Izzard.

Jeff Kingsford-Brown’s Sheriff Rodney Hyde is suitably nasty, and Jendon’s blue suited Thor is charming. Jane Waddell, John Wraight and Gerald Bryan have the most costume changes in support and do a great job. Plaudits too to Michael Nicholas Williams for his musicianship.

Hall has done us a great service by creating these pantos which are terrific family fare.

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It’s panto time again so you won’t be surprised to hear that the glen that Robin Hood rides through is in Zealandia, while his domestic goddess of a mum is a seamstress who plays with her bobbins in nearby Wellywood.

Abbot Costello lives in St Gerard’s-on-the-hill and the sheriff ruling on behalf of nasty Prince John (loud boos) is called Sir Rodney Hyde-with-a-y (louder boos, please) who wants to raise the Grasping Sheriff Tax from 12.5% to 15%. In far off ‘Ah! Vienna!’ – a funny unexplained running gag – is the Crusader King Richie.

There’s also a sort of Greek chorus of three crows who make us caw out warnings if someone is behind our heroes. Little John, who lives in the forest with Robin (there’s nothing wrong with that, says Mrs. Hood) and the gang are likely to break out into hey-nonny-nonny, hanky-waving, dances at the drop of a hat, which were for me the delights of this evening of wackiness along with Robin and Marion’s send-up of a Lloyd Webber-like romantic duet.

While possibly a mite too long and at times too convoluted for the very young to follow, Robin Hood has the essential ingredient of any successful panto – a confidence that somewhere in the torrent of groan-making corn, double-entendres, clever topical jokes, comic songs, and inspired silliness that the audience will be won over. Susan Wilson’s energetic cast won us over very quickly.

The costumes (Paul Jenden) are very brightly coloured and amusingly outrageous; the songs (Paul Jenden and Michael Nicholas Williams) are smart and witty, and Roger Hall’s script (his last one, he says. Ahhh!) pokes the borax at everything from The Hobbit fiasco to an archery competition’s third prize: a hot curry with Paul Henry.

Gavin Rutherford is a roguish dame, quick with funny ad-libs, and he has, most importantly, an easy rapport with the audience. Kali Kopae is not only a beautiful Maid Marion but also a spunky one, while Jamie McCaskill is a handsome leading man who is – and this is rare – funny. There’s good work from John Wraight, Gerald Bryan, Jane Waddell, Jeff Kingsford-Brown, Paul Jenden, while stage manager Eric Gardiner appears briefly as a medieval menial, the spitting image of Marty Feldman in Young Frankenstein.

It’s tons of fun for young and old – and if you’re young you can cheer Robin to victory as part of the crowd at Trentham where the action-packed finale of a jousting tournament takes place.
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What with different ‘Hood’ pantos opening in two different ’hoods (Wellington and Dunedin) and publication of his epic family saga A Way of Life being officially launched (by Playmarket); Saturday 13 November was ‘a good day at the office’ for Roger Hall. 

Once more the proven team of Susan Wilson (director), Michael Nicholas Williams (composer and musical director) and Paul Jenden (lyrics, set and costume design) adds enormous value to Hall’s well-wrought script: the last he will write, he reveals in his programme note, although there will be revivals of existing pantos with judicious topical updates.

Now that our employment laws render 21^st century New Zealand more and more feudal (especially if you work in Hobbiton), a new look at Robin Hood is timely, and Hall and the Circa team deliver the satirical goods with alacrity and flair.

King Richard (McCaw) is off leading the Crusade(r)s, so bad Prince John (his photo gives us the Key) is in charge at the Beehive, but he has delegated control of WellyWood to Sherriff Rodney Hyde (with a ‘y’), who is preparing it to be the next super-city. The Crows, who call on us to ‘Caw!’ when there is danger, start as employees but get sacked under the 90 day law so return as independent contractors …  

The poor are taxed to meet the needs of the rich. Because King Richie’s salary source was tied up with South Canterbury Finance, he is now stuck in Vienna – that’s the Vienna Café in Picton – until the people pay “the King’s ransom” through a hike in GST (what was the Grasping Sherriff Tax at 12.5% is now the Greedy Sherriff Tax at 15%). Then there is ACC, increasing their premiums …

What’s more, now that Zealandia has become a wildlife sanctuary, it is illegal for the peasants to hunt for their daily sustenance in the forest (unless it’s a possum, usually scored through road-kill) … 

Thus the ancient tale of yore is stitched into our times and place. And speaking of stitching, Mother Hood – a “poor widow woman” (“Ohhh!”), who claims to be the aunt of Red Riding Hood by the way, yet bans hoodies in her shop – is in business as Trelise Hood, dressmaker. But she can only afford a very unfashionable green fabric from Ye Olde Spotlight and fears it will never take on.

Gavin Rutherford makes a splendid Dame, more attractive and light-of-voice than the usual throaty gorgon. He could do more with the man she picks to relate to throughout in ‘cougar’ mode, but was quick to quip with the “Bob” she found on opening night (“Say it backwards: Bob!”). S/he’ll have a ball this season, I warrant.

Jamie McCaskill’s Robin has perfect balance of poseur, good guy, fighter and lover and Kali Kopae’s Maid Marian proves his perfect match in every respect. Their heartfelt romantic moments are nicely done and their singing is superb (without a trace, I have to say, of an American accent). 

Suffering, on opening night, from a throat infection that allowed him a speaking voice but sabotaged his singing voice, Jeff Kingsford-Brown battled on bravely as the Sheriff, abetted by his pet dragon Thor, played by Paul Jenden in a wonderful costume created by himself (as his annual sauna therapy, one has to assume).

John Wraight delivers an excellent triple with stave-wielding Little John, an abbot who is blissfully unaware of the suffering masses, and a triumphant King John. Gerald Bryan’s Friar Tuck makes a significant move from ACC premium-collector to one of the merry men and ‘food-in-a-minute’ specialist. And Jane Waddell flips wonderfully between poor peasant-woman Hattie and ultra-posh Lady Muck.

Bryan, Kingsford-Brown and Waddell play the aforementioned Crows and – given the beaks that overhang their faces – I do have a quibble with their tendency to play to the front row, which both excludes the rest of us and stops their voices carrying to the overhead mics. Michael Nicholas Williams does a superb job as the one-man keyboards band but on such occasions the all-important lyrics – invariably witty in Jenden’s skilled hands – become muffled.

There is also a running “Aaah, Vienna!!” gag, beautifully sung by the ensemble, which means as little to me as it does, in the end, to King John, although his saying so got a huge laugh from a couple of people in the audience. What did I miss?

Overall the story plays out with assured and friendly theatricality, beautifully costumed in Jenden’s simple fabric set, brilliantly lit by Jennifer Lal, with engaging audience participation elements threaded throughout.

The archery tournament is ingeniously staged, with stage manager Eric Gardiner on target. The set-up of the telltale arrow that’s discovered in the hind quarters of a deer is nicely done. It’s this that sees Robin Hood made an outlaw (although come to think of it, being unindigenous, deer should also be culled from Zealandia along with possums). 

The build up to the climactic Tournament Day at Trentham, replete with hats, brings Robin the chance to be pardoned and give his garland to the maid of his choice. But the lance-on-horseback jousting is rigged. And – as with the final duel in Hamlet – a switcheroo gives the baddie his come-uppance (fall-offance?).

The songs throughout are lively and bright – especially the comically choreographed (Jenden again) ‘Hey Nonny Nonny’ that closes the first half – and the now traditional ‘Pantomime Whirl’ completes yet another family-friendly Circa pantomime.

Along with the always welcome feel-good factor, this Robin Hood really hits the target with topical and political satire. There’s something in it for every age and stage: book early.
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