The Adventures of Robin Hood in Cooksonville – The Customs House, South Shields

Writers: Ray Spencer MBE and Graeme Thompson MBE

Director: Ray Spencer MBE

As the lights dim, the overture of this pantomime version of the legend of Robin Hood immediately starts with a jaunty version of the classic song Make ‘Em Laugh: a promise which the show certainly delivers on. Anyone familiar with The Customs House’s self-proclaimed “little panto with the big heart” knows that one thing is guaranteed: that the dynamic duo of Ray Spencer and Davey Hopper will deliver big laughs. And this year is no exception.

Co-writer and Director Spencer also appears as Dame Bella Ballcock (she hates the ball, but loves… when people call her Bella!) alongside Hopper as her dim-witted son Arbuthnot (“when I say Ar, you say Butt!”). Spencer’s onstage persona is at once saucy, charming, slightly repulsive and sincere – a combination that he handles expertly. Meanwhile Hopper plays the foolish but lovable man-child with such enthusiasm and energy that he is an immediate hit with children and adults alike. Their long-standing onstage partnership and their amazing chemistry with the audience are extremely evident and these two (rightly) dominate in a version of a familiar tale that very much side-lines its titular outlaw in favour of often random and (mostly) hilarious tomfoolery. The routines are all very traditional but often include small modern twists to keep them fresh, still allowing the audience the delight of seeing something familiar but new. Highlights include an extremely successful “slop” scene set in Dame Bella’s tavern and involving a beer making machine that predictably but hilariously produces massive amounts of foam for our hapless characters to slip and slide around in.

However, the successful pairing of Spencer and Hopper has a down-side: the show tends to lose much of its steam when they aren’t on stage. That is not to say that the rest of the cast aren’t good – they are – but most people are here to see Bella and Arbuthnot, and the rest of it feels a little like a support act filling in between sets by the main group. Steven Lee Hamilton plays the Sheriff of Nottingham perhaps a little more subtly than one might expect in a panto, and although he has an excellent singing voice, it seems incongruous for the villain to sing a straight version (Everything I Do) I Do It For You in the middle of the action. Marcquelle Ward makes for a charming, rapping Robin, although most of the hero duties in this version end up falling to Lucy Elizabeth Davis’ plucky Maid Marian. And where is Robin Hood without his band of merry men? Well here Friar Tuck, Little John, Will Scarlett, Alan a Dale and (for some reason) Boris Johnson are all played wonderfully by Alfie Joey, leading to a great running joke involving people sending for different members of Robin’s band, much to Joey’s frustration.

The sets and costumes are delightfully colourful and cartoonish, and the lighting is bright and flashy. The song choices are nicely eclectic with some newer pop songs alongside the classics, as well a healthy dose of less-obvious musical theatre numbers from shows as diverse as Hamilton, Young Frankenstein and Something Rotten.

There are a lot of choices when it comes to which pantomime to go and see, but for the joy of Spencer and Hopper alone, this one should be very high up on your Christmas list.

Runs until 7th January 2023.