The Hoods are in the ’hood again. Last year it was that Red Riding Hooded girl; this year her outlawed cousin Robin returns t0 Circa Theatre in Roger Hall’s Robin Hood to spin us into ‘The Pantomime Whirl’.  

Reincarnated from the 2010 version, its still-relevant satire is richly endowed with astute topical updates. Poster-boy Bad King John is still the Key to the Sheriff’s dastardly doings but now Rodney Hyde has been supplanted by a very skinny Gerard* Brownlee (Nick Dunbar at his villainous best). He indulges a job-seeking Abbot Tony (one of three roles Andrew Paterson delights in), who wants to set up a charter school, by selling off his Wellywood monastery (St Gerard’s): the latest in countless Australian acquisitions of NZ institutions (B‘NZ’ anyone?). The island that’s giving Christmas a bad name gets a few mentions too.

The ubiquitous ‘poor widow woman’, Mother Hood (reprised and totally owned by Gavin Rutherford) remains a domestic goddess and designing woman called Trelise. She and her son Robin (a dashing and athletic Simon Leary) face the trauma of having their state house sold off unless he can win the (match-fixed) archery contest, which leads to a touching SBW moment of generosity. The instant love that sparks between Robin and Maid Marian (Acushla-Tara Sutton succumbing to coyness despite her inner strength) is foiled by the Sheriff with the old green arrow trick, which sees Robin outlawed and banished to the Tinakori Hills (it was Zealandia last time).

Little John has become Little Andrew (Paterson), banished to the Tinakori Hills because he is polling so badly. He’s strong with his stave, however – even chipping his bridge with it on opening night – and he and Robin soon bond on traditional Labour policy (rob the rich to feed the poor). Friar Tuck (played with a light touch by Jonathan Morgan), now surplus to requirements at the monastery, joins them rather than work for Father William English as a GST (Grasping Sheriff Tax) collector. And Good King Richard (Paterson) is still McCaw – just in time!

Morgan doubles as the Sheriff’s minion, Rumble (a role which supplants the late Paul Jenden’s pet dragon, Thor). And Jane Waddell reprises her well-defined double act as Hattie the poverty-stricken peasant woman, devoid of all hope, and snooty yet somehow vulnerable Lady Muck.

There is plenty of pertinent satire for the adults, then, and diverse age groups respond predictably to the different levels of ‘adult’ humour? What makes it work for the kids overall is the core story which is in slight danger of being taken for granted. Let’s hope focus on that aspect strengthens rather than dissipates as the season runs on.

When youngsters are invited to come on stage to witness the climactic tournament they flock down. While it may seems gratuitous to jaded eyes, it is clearly a special experience for many. And it would be even better if they were given something meaningful to do, say or shout.

Sheila Horton’s costumes differentiate the haves and have nots superbly and help to anchor the show in the middle ages, which makes the anachronisms even more delicious. Likewise Michael Nicholas Williams’ music (rearranged, I think, by musical directors Jane Keller and Oliver Devlin) and Sacha Copland’s spot-on choreography honour the historical roots and so enrich our experience.

John Hodgkins’ sparse set – a couple of stumps and a moveable log bridge – is dominated by a backdrop screen that variously features the market place (Chaffers), a spreading oak tree (the one Andrew Foster used in The Vertical Hour?), Tinakori Hills, Civic Square and the Legislative Chamber, all (except the oak) ingeniously tweaked to look like woodcut images. The contenders for a new NZ flag look very at home in this setting too.

Jen Lal’s lighting is brilliant as usual, not least when the Sheriff’s evilness provokes flashes of lightning and thunder (James Woods: sound supervisor).

Mishaps with broken staves and lances on opening night are handled so well by the totally ‘on to it’ cast we feel we’re getting a bonus. This audience is highly receptive which bodes well for a successful season. And the fact that its political landscape resonates so strongly eight centuries after it is set gives us plenty to ponder. The more things change …

*[sic] removed – see Roger Hall’s correction below.

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