Robin Hood – Birmingham Hippodrome

Writers: Harry Michaels & Matt Slack

Director: Karen Bruce

Christmas at the Birmingham Hippodrome can only mean one thing – the annual feast that is the pantomime and, these days, the return of Matt Slack. It’s always been a spectacular affair, and this year seems even more so, with little expense spared to create a huge visual impact from the stunning sets by Mark Walters to the lavish costumes and lighting. It’s an absolute treat for the eyes before the show even starts.

This year it’s Robin Hood, and things are a little different and unexpected – which is both a good and a bad thing. Over the past few years, it’s started to become a little too predictable, and it’s good to have a slightly different feel to the production, but they’ve tried to fix some things that weren’t actually broken – which is not to say that the production isn’t good because it absolutely is.

The star attraction of any Hippodrome panto over the past few years is Matt Slack. He first appeared here in Snow White in 2013, and he’s performed in every Hippodrome panto since, becoming such a favourite with Birmingham audiences that he’s invariably the first star announced for the following year. Slack is a consummate pantomime performer, quick to spot any opportunity to add to the comedy with little regard for niceties like the actual script, and that’s what this sort of panto’s all about – things going wrong, things being changed, and seeing the reactions of the cast when they do. One of the big changes this year is that Slack gets to play the title role – a big deal, apart from playing the heroic romantic lead is really not his forté. For the past decade, there’s been a running joke about how he never gets the girl, and now he finally does it passes without even a mention – maybe he realises it’s not really his thing. It doesn’t detract from his comedy, though, and you can expect the same sort of jokes from him that people know and love. It’s also a little less like the Matt Slack show this year, too – there’s a lot of talent on stage, and there seems to be more time for the others to show us what they can do.

Adding to the comedy is Gok Wan, as quick with a quip as Slack is. It’s been twelve years since the two played the panto together here, but this is a pairing made in heaven, and the huge rapport between the two is one of the highlights of the production. Wan is another audience favourite and will surely be back here soon. Then there’s Andrew Ryan, dame extraordinaire. Ryan has been a Hippodrome favourite over the past few years, and he’s another performer totally at ease and skilled at what he’s doing. Of course, there’s the traditional outrageous costumes (shout out to designer Teresa Nalton), the comedy and some good vocals which we get chance to hear.

Matt Cardle, in his pantomime debu,t makes an admirable baddie as the Sheriff of Nottingham, and he’s given time to show us his well-known vocal talent too, which is a treat. Faye Tozer is a fine Maid Marion, not a helpless damsel but a real character and Robin Hood’s love interest. Tozer is a seasoned panto performer and able to hold her own against the chaos going on around her. She shows us her own great vocal skills, too, though as a skilled singer, she might have been given a little more. Sandra Marvin is here too as the Spirit of Sherwood debut – not quite the traditional good fairy, but fulfilling a similar role. Sadly, we don’t get to see or hear from her as much as we could.

Then there’s Christopher Biggins in his 60^th pantomime, though remarkably only his second at the Hippodrome. He’s King Richard and away in the wars, yet manages to steal the show by a series of untimely entrances as different characters, and the response from the audience shows that he’s as popular as ever and a highlight.

Despite its faults, it’s an excellent production, though you have to wonder whether it’s really essential to pick out audience members and show them on a big screen while everyone else laughs at them and they try hard to look like they’re enjoying the joke. You won’t see much classic Robin Hood storyline, but nobody really goes to the panto for the plot. What you do get is two hours of laugh-out-loud comedy, great spectacle, and a hugely enjoyable time.

Runs until 1 February 2026