Robin Hood
Seattle Children’s Theater 2011, 2015
Written by Greg Banks
Scenery by Jennifer Lupton
Lighting by Geoff Korf
Costumes by Catherine Hunt
Sound by Chris Walker
… he's told the tale with humor and a sense of childlike wonder that never once talks down to the kids. All of which is bookended in a framework of modern day persecuted poor making the impact of the story all that much more relevant. And director Allison Narver has taken this daring tale and amped up the thrills with a killer cast and a deliriously climbable and swingable set from Jennifer Lupton.
This is one of those "kid's shows" that's so good it goes beyond just a "kid's show". Not only does it transport any age to the thrilling adventures of Robin Hood but also thrilled due to its magnificent stagecraft. It's a superb piece of work that has completely earned a hale and hearty YAY with my three letter rating system. If you feel the need for a cover in order to see it then go rent or borrow some kids to accompany you but get yourself to catch this brilliant work before it's gone.
Robin Hood, an SCT production written by Greg Banks and directed by Allison Narver (a reprisal of a production from several years ago), is a prime example. It exposes viewers to violence, oppression and deceipt, and suggests courage, loyalty and humor as the appropriate response. Drawing attention to the fact that social injustice is not a medieval relic, Robin Hood is framed as a story that four homeless people tell each other.
The actors are as agile in their craft as in the action; each of them performs at least three roles and does it well enough that keeping track of the characters is not a challenge for the audience. With a permeable fourth wall, there are winking nods to invisible minions (“They're wearing camouflage,” says the Sheriff) and the audience is called upon to fill a couple of roles, too. In the show we saw, sometimes we were asked for spare change, sometimes we were Merry Men or villagers. To be honest, it felt good to stand and shout, “Long live Robin Hood!” on cue, especially after the Sheriff cemented his bad-guy status by cheating in a sack race against two young audience members.
Of all the balancing acts Robin Hood performs — physically balancing on set pieces, balancing between self-aware and immersive storytelling — the one that matters most to the story was the balance between its serious themes and humor. There's no getting around the fact that Robin Hood is a violent story, and the bad guy is a genuine, murdering villain. But while the play will leave you thinking about the fact that the injustices Robin fights are ongoing today, the experience of watching the play is joyful. Robin Hood manages to make its point while maintaining a consistently light tone. When asked what she thought of it, my 6-year-old's first response was, “It was silly.”