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Thursday July 20, 2023
Robin Hood
So it's a fun show with good reviews - the Guardian labelling it a "must see".
I loved the special effects where arrows were (apparently!) shot onto the stage, using I assume a simple trick involving distraction and "Strongbow" sound effects. I particularly loved the various iterations of male Robins (*see note) who took to the stage imagining it to be their show - only to be rebuffed by the actual band of "merry women" as they were in this story. I loved Errol Flynn (he just WAS Errol Flynn), and I took a few moments to recognise Russell Crowe (accent thoroughly made fun of) even though I'm quite keen on his film, - but I did not know Michael Praed as Robin at all. [Later I watched the TV series which I found a bit magical/mystical but also quite clever - and Ray Winstone is lovely!].
Personally, while I enjoyed the play a lot, I had a few problems with it. I felt it could not make up its mind if it were a musical or not, (and if it were, I thought the music was a bit dirgy), and it could not decide if it were a comedy or had serious gender or ecological points to make. However, to be fair to them all, the biggest problem they had with me, was that they publicised it as being "by the same team who produced The Grinning Man". I found the latter to be such an unexpectedly excellent musical that anything suggesting it was as good as that was almost bound to be a disappointment.
* Note: if you are interested in Robins, take a look at this website which provides an excellent summary and analysis. As I am "of that generation" that fondly remember Richard Greene "riding through the glen", I easily see the truth of Greene being less an action figure like Flynn and more a squadron leader - he was well into his forties and quite chunky towards the end of the series.
Posted by Christina at 7:10 PM. Category: Art and Culture
