Writer: Peter Rowe
Director: Rob Salmon
City Varieties 2023 pantomime opens with a literal BANG!
Bursting onto the stage full of life, energy and colour, Rob Salmon and Peter Rowe’s annual Rock and Roll panto is back and this year’s tale getting the signature makeover is Robin Hood.
We meet Blondel (Finn Torkington) in Nottingham for a rhyming introduction to the plot, which follows Robin Hood (Samuel Pope) as he plots to free his lady love Maid Marian (Lucy Keirl) from the dastardly clutches of her ward the Sherriff of Nottingham (Kenny Davies). At the same time the “babes” have arrived from London with their golden inheritance and the Sherriff is determined to take it from them.
Can Robin save the babes and Marian, and also win the archery competition making him the winner of the Silver Arrow?
Once again the City Varieties has brought together the leading panto team of Rob Salmon (Director) who is the Head of Creative Engagement at the world-famous Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, and Peter Rowe (Writer) whose Rock and Roll pantomimes are now produced at the New Wolsey Theatre, Theatre Clwyd, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre and Leeds City Varieties. This is Salmon and Rowe’s 14th panto collaboration, and this experience can be seen in the slick and confident production right from the opening night.
Even with the Rock and Roll treatment and live music, everything about the show is exactly what you want from a traditional pantomime. Lots of near-the-knuckle jokes for adults, lots of “he’s behind you” and “oh no he didn’t” moments, and plenty of slapstick comedy antics.
The cast is stunningly talented, as they play all the music live from the stage while singing, dancing and switching in and out of characters throughout.
Samuel Pope’s vocal performances as Robin Hood are incredible. He plays a suave and playful Robin which one could certainly be forgiven for slightly swooning for, particularly in his rendition of Meatloaf’s I Would Do Anything for Love which is a vocal highpoint.
Now a staple of the Leeds panto scene, Simon Knock returns as (this year) Nanny Nellie. His pantomime dame surely must be one of the best in the UK. The cheeky, naughty nurse brings new energy to the show every time they enter the stage, and has all the audience in belly laughs throughout.
The costumes designed by Dawn Allsopp and created by the wardrobe team are wonderful, with each dame costume becoming more ridiculous than the last. A particular favourite is the gold skin-tight suit worn by Nanny Nellie which causes ripples of laughter through the auditorium.
The show mostly rollicks along, keeping the audience’s attention well. It does run quite long and may have benefitted from losing 15 to 20 minutes for younger audience members. It is recommended for children aged 5+, and this is a good guideline to follow given the running time, use of pyrotechnics and volume of the show.
They do not shy away from the use of water pistols, with audience members being soaked as the cast runs through the audience. This was funny up to a point, however some younger audience members were left a little upset at leaving in the cold with wet hair.
With laughs, great music, shouting, singing and fun, this is a perfect Christmas treat for the whole family.
Runs until 7th January 2024.
The Reviews Hub Score
Rock and Roll
