Planet London Reviews: Robyn Hood and the gender benders

Monday, 5 December 2011

Robyn Hood and the gender benders - RVT Panto

Date:               Wednesday 7 December 2011 **PREVIEW NIGHT**
Time:                8.30pm
Location:         Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Vauxhall
Price: F£6.50 limited earlybird, £8.50 online, £9.99 on the door
Website:       www.rvt.org.uk/event/robyn-hood-rvt-panto

We don’t want to give too much away because this panto really is worth a visit, although this is certainly not the panto to take your children (or parents) to – Robyn Hood is strictly for adults only!

Voiceovers from Scottie (from the Barbican) introduces the production and encourages you to drink; use your mobile; take photos and talk so from the outset you know that this isn’t your usual pantomime.

Robyn Hood (that is Robyn with a Y not Robyn with an I!) is set in the glamourous space of Hampstead Heath (the Christmas tree is quite a piece of art!) and he is accompanied by Tired Fu*k and a Merry Man. The sherriff (*BOO*) is the bad 'guy' and the story is set around Prince Big Willy and Maid Middleton and a printing press – think a phone hacking scandal of days gone by, coupled with a Royal wedding.

The panto is interactive, but not so much that you can’t enjoy a good drink and a laugh. Featuring the RVT Community Choir (aka the audience!) on kazoos to Love in the First Degree, you can expect a number of non-traditional pantomime songs including two of our favourites: All the single ladies (cockney style) and Cell Block Tango (from Chicago but with rather different lyrics!)

The RVT clearly spent a lot of money on this panto(!), and the highlight was the flying pigeon (honestly!) – it seems a bird will fly anywhere for its special K!

We recommend you arrive early to get a seat as the place was packed for preview night – although it doesn’t matter where you sit as the stage is all around you! Overall this pantomime is chaotic, but very good fun, and the cast were very good at ad libbing where needed.