Babes a hit at town hall (From Stourbridge News)

Babes a hit at town hall

1:13pm Tuesday 20th February 2007 in Theatre By Amanda Edwards

Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood

IN the time honour tradition of a big entrance, Roman candle fireworks introduced us to the bad old Sheriff of Nottingham (Terry Gormley) who described his evil intentions to booing and hissing from the crowd.

As the scene revealed a busy fair at Nottingham castle, a Spirit of the Greenwood' fairy on wires floated across the stage and was so feather-light she made her attempted exit by drifting into the scenery.

Herman, the Sheriff's very funny henchman (Steve Humpherson) and the wacky Dame' Nurse Norah (Fred Shaw) gave the show every opportunity for slapstick, jokes and catchphrases, even the sheriff couldn't resist a set of "face, bothered, face bothered' - Catherine Tate would be flattered.

The addition to the jolly cast of the two Babes' - Janet and John' - led us to think the title should have been Brats in the Wood', Robin's only motive for setting a path to rescuing these little monsters must have been to impress Marian (Jennifer Hodges), whom he serenaded and fell for in a truly whirlwind romance.

At Robin's camp, as testament to their manliness, the Band of Merry Men (which included a curiously James Nesbitt-like Friar Tuck) sang Men in Tights' and then danced the cancan; very manly indeed!

With some 14 scenes this was quite an epic panto and managed to include a Deal Or No Deal' game, sing-a-longs with numbers such as Nine to Five' and The Candy Man' which - sang by Nurse Norah brought back flashbacks of a horror movie of the same name - and speaking of flashing and horror, Norah literally lost her pants', exposing a very revealing side of her character!

As seems to be the company's trademark the show at Stourbridge Town Hall also included a very colourful interlude of The Circle of Life' with lavish spangled costumes and huge Rio carnival-style feather headdresses.

With violence, corporal punishment, kidnapping, attempted infanticide, imprisonment and a touch of hanging this panto takes us on a journey to the very dark side, so it's fortunate the talented cast make light of the menace and give the audience a good show.

Again the unplanned events brought some hysterical laughs, such as when the back drop only went up as far as the chorus line's waists - creating a legs-only dance line.

Of course Robin (Tim Brown) saves the brats, himself and gets the girl. Hurrah!

One contented little visitor summed the whole outing up by saying "they're really showing off aren't they?"

Yes, but that is the art of a good panto.

By Amanda Edwards