Why choose to perform Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood...?
- ben60467
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
We’re back to rabbits again – but this time they’re puppets.
I love the mischievous way puppets are able to interact with humans and so I thought the leafy, bucolic splendour of Sherwood Forest might be enhanced by the presence of a couple of talkative, opinionated rabbits.
They pop up from time to time, disrespect the characters - dive back into their burrow at any mention of rabbit pie - and generally get in the way.
And at the most inopportune moment they seek to perform a Rabbit Ballet… What’s not to like?!
The Robin Hood panto script has it all – fighting with staves (be careful!), the Schoolroom Scene, one of the great, traditional set-piece panto scenes, the Dame’s strip routine and (unique to my version) the rescue of Marion from the One Doored Tower of Doom – possibly the best pantomime audience participation scene ever devised. Oh, yes, it is!
First, Robin, together with his crew and the audience have to fight off the Guards with rocks (Foam balls painted black). General anarchy.
Next, they have to break the door down. A big, black beachball ‘rock’ bounces around the auditorium being helped along by members of the audience - and then guided by Robin and his gang it finally hits the door. Massive sound effect. Marion is released. The audience love it!
Having ‘Babes’ in the story creates two great parts for youngsters – or four if they perform on alternate performances – and of course, the Babes require a Nannie, Winnie Widebottom, a really excellent dame’s role.
In the rural idyll of Sherwood, the young women are completely involved in the action. Instead of Little John, I decided to create the character of Little Joan, his daughter, who is always up for a fight - and Marion, the Principal Girl, is also as feisty as they come, getting involved in all the scraps and finally saving Robin’s life.
The Sherriff of Nottingham and his Taxman, Dennis are a study in incompetent comic wickedness and the Sheriff gets his final comeuppance when a sometimes slightly press-ganged member of the audience (it’s happened to me – and it isn’t too bad!) is dressed up as a lawyer and requires the Sheriff to tax the rich and give to the poor.
Robin and Marion marry underneath the Great Oak of Sherwood, and all is well with the world.
Romance, comedy and adventure, this pantomime script has it all - and just maybe during the curtain call you’ll have time for eight bars worth of a Rabbit Ballet…