In what seems like one of the purest moments of escapism this year, the star-studded cast of Robin Hood are bringing some much-needed laughter to Birmingham this festive season.
Every year we sit down to watch the Hippodrome panto, and every year we come away convinced they've raised the bar as high as it can go. We're sold on the fact they may as well not bother next year, because nothing will ever beat what came before...and then, twelve months later, the team behind the show prove that we were way off the mark!
In keeping with tradition, Robin Hood arrives in Birmingham direct from the London Palladium. The story has been adapted, the jokes have been localised but the glitz, glamour and sheer scale of this show remains phenomenal. To say the audience was overwhelmed is an understatement.
As one person in the audience said before the curtain went up - this is the show that the Palladium panto is the warm-up for...and he was right.
What was immediately evident was the sheer scale of the production. The costumes are lavish, the set is spectacular and the production values are second-to-none which left the audience (specifically the younger generations) in awe at what was before them.
It sounds incredibly cliché to say this is the first experience many young people have of theatre, but it's also true and what was amazing to see was the sheer joy and awe of kids walking out of the theatre, grinning ear-to-ear.
Full to the brim (probably more than ever!) of double entendre's, the adults in the audience were laughing until they cried and their kids were looking bemused at the spectacle!
First thing's first, the sheer scale of the production is mind-blowing. It uses every inch of the Hippodrome stage to create the magic. This is a multi-million pound show of epic proportion.
Another thing that's epic is the cast - and this year they seem to have struck gold.
Matt Slack is back for his 12th consecutive year and the response to his entrance onto the stage was deafening. There were swathes of the audience in their Matt Slack merch who were there primarily to see his performance - and what a show he puts on. Slack has funny bones. His physical, intelligent brand of comedy is so incredibly suited to panto that he is, without a doubt, one of the best panto comics in the country.
What's incredible is he knows exactly how far he can push something and is the master of innuendo - which serves him well alongside Gok Wan who is an equally inspired piece of casting. Acting very much as a foil to Slack's humour, Aunty Gok is in his element. With an infectious laugh and an incredibly likeable personality, Slack and Wan would be welcome back on stage together any time.
Pop music royalty, Faye 'from Steps' Tozer plays Maid Marion and it's a part which allows at least two of the bands greatest hits to echo around the auditorium! Her scene with Slack where they try and sing an Elvis classic and end up swapping voices is comedy brilliance and showcased Tozer's acting prowess. Whilst being part of one of the biggest pop groups of a generation is an easy reference point, Tozer proved she is a rounded performer who's more than just a name on an album.
An honourable mention must go to panto royalty, Christopher Biggins who immediately won the hearts of the audience from the moment he walked...or, more accurately, the moment he was pushed - on to stage. Look, if I'n honest, I think Biggins could have entered stage left, waved and left on the other side and still got a standing ovation, but his casting was perfection.
Not taking on a massive role, because of recovery from knee replacement surgery, his character plays on his SIXTY year career in the genre, and portrays him as a performer who's so desperate to get back on stage that htey'll show up at any point, in any costume to try and make an entrance. The name Biggins is so synonymous with panto that his presence in a show feels like a royal visit - but he absolutely showcased why he's the best in the biz!
What Robin Hood really provides is two hours of pure escapism at a show that you won't be able to stop grinning at. The Hippodrome knows how to do world class panto and this is an exceptional case in point.
Robin Hood runs at Birmingham Hippodrome until Sunday 1st February 2026. For more information, or to get your tickets, visit birminghamhippodrome.com.
