Remote Goat - Review: Robin Hood and his Merry Mam!

Mon 17 Dec 2012

Written by Sam McCaffery

Berwick Kaler and his pantomimes have been a Christmas tradition at York Theatre Royal for over thirty years. His loose interpretation of classic tales blended with local humour and 'in jokes' have become synonymous with the festive season. And in his 34th year he's still going better than ever.

In Robin Hood and his Merry Mam all the classic ingredients are back. There's the wet slap sequence with the orchestra hiding beneath umbrellas, there is a hilarious high wire act with Kaler suspended above the action, there's the cheap local jokes (The Sherriff of Nottingham becoming Sherriff Hutton anyone?), there's the dog on a stick and numerous other recurring panto gags but most importantly there is the returning cast, oh and the wagon wheels!

Martin Barrass is back as Kaler's trusty sidekick in ridiculous costumes and receiving much of his abuse. Suzy Cooper is back and this time plays Marian. But much to the regulars disappointment there was no David Leonard this year, so Kaler had to go in search of a new villain and fortunately he found a more than ample replacement in Jonathan Race.

One of the highlights of this year's performance were some of the musical numbers with Race and regular AJ Powell having a wonderful send up of the Vanilla Ice song 'Ice Ice Baby'. And in perhaps the most inspired parody of the year 'Panto Style' is a song that you're sure to take home with you.

At the York Theatre Royal a thoroughly enjoyable evening is to be had this Christmas. Some of the jokes may fall flat (and some of them are meant to) and there may be a rather strange and difficult to discern animal sequence but all in all Berwick Kaler has hit another home run of festive fun.

Read the review on the Remote Goat website.