The Greenwich Theatre Panto is back with Robin Hood and it returns with a bang and Anthony Spargo not just as the Bestest Baddie in Town in the role of the dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham but also as this year’s writer, writes Michael Holland.
Maid Marian (Amy Bastani) is the love interest, Mutley (Louise Gielecki) is the cute comedy turn, and Martin Johnston brings gravitas to Friar Tuck. This year’s dame is local actor Phil Sealey playing Little Joan and the 3-man band who seem to create the sound of a sextet is excellent guitarist Gordon Parrish, Chris Wyles on drums and, of course, Musical Director ‘Uncle’ Steve Markwick. Once again, the theatre gives local actors from Trinity Laban Conservatoire the chance to make their professional debut and this year it is Sam Rowe and Millen Scrivener grabbing the opportunity with both jazz hands.
The Sheriff loves taxing the poor to keep up his lifestyle of unadulterated hedonism, but Robin Hood (David Breeds) loves robbing the Sheriff’s tax collectors to give back to the poor, thereby setting up the conflict between the two.
As always, the Greenwich panto combines modern hits with topical news and a hint of local flavour, so there was Ed Sheeran, the cost of living crisis, House of Thrones references and talk of Deptford. Plus, lots of innuendos from Little Joan and evil cackles from the Sheriff to elicit boos from the audience. Funniest bit: The scene with the lie detector machine had me laughing out loud. Cleverest bit: The punning on the names of chocolate bars.
Spargo says, ‘Robin Hood is the story of struggle over adversity, strength through numbers, resilience in the face of tyranny. Themes that seem rather pertinent in the current climate.’
The Greenwich Theatre Panto and the people who put it on make us feel like part of a great big happy family and make it a real part of Christmas in the community, so we have come to expect familiar faces and themes, which we get with Spargo and Uncle Steve. We don’t expect money spent on lavish costumes, special effects and grand sets because it is the proceeds from the panto that allows the theatre to do what it does for local theatregoers and children throughout the year. But we do expect to be entertained and we are never disappointed.
Robin Hood has it all with its jokes aimed at different levels for different generations, great song and dance routines, and the compulsory audience sing-a-long battle before the big finale.
My only complaint is that as the writer, Anthony Spargo wrote all the best gags for Little Joan to camp it up, so as not to come across as a narcissist, which meant he didn’t make an appearance for what seemed an age, but when he did come on singing Queen’s I Want It All, we booed and cheered in equal exuberance, and that’s because nobody does Bad like Spargo does Bad and we were pleased to see him being Bad again.
Whenever he is tripping around the stage giving the evil eye to the audience and goading us to bring on the boos, everyone is looking at him. ‘I’m the King of Kerching with all the Bling’ he boasts and we boo. He points at young people in their seats near the front and tells us ‘I hate kids’ and we boo some more. He digs out a couple from the older generation and says the over-60s smell of Lidl and lavender and we boo even louder. This is what we came for.
But along with Anthony Spargo, everyone gave their all to ensure we went home smiling.
Robin Hood is the best panto in town so far and I do not expect that to change in the weeks ahead.
Greenwich Theatre, Crooms Hill, Greenwich, London, SE10 8ES until Sunday 8th January 2023. Time: Tues – Sun 7pm, other times vary.
Tickets are available priced at £32, Concessions £25 and £16.50 for children
Box Office: 0208 858 7755 – www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk
