Robin Hood and His Famous Five

Allison Vale - British Theatre Guide on 07/12/2009

By Gaynor Lougher
Odyssey Theatre
Wales Millennium Centre

Review by Allison Vale (2009)
Cardiff's Odyssey Theatre Company are in celebratory mood this season. After ten years of extraordinarily inspirational inclusive theatre in Cardiff and South Wales, this September they were voted one of the UK's three Best Arts projects in the 2009 National Lottery Awards. And as the Wales Millennium Centre, where Odyssey's umbrella company, Hijinx Theatre, have their offices, celebrates its 5th birthday this year, Artistic Director Gaynor Lougher felt inspired to put on a Christmas spectacular.
Robin Hood and the Famous Five has everything you could wish for in a family seasonal show. Learning disabled actors take on the majority of the leads, with captivating performances from Andrew Tadd as Robin Hood and Kirsty Rosser as Maid Marian. Martin Vick plays the perfect villain as Sheriff of Nottinhere, whipping the audience up into a frenzy of booing and hissing at every opportunity. George Frost is an unforgettable Friar Tuck and Gareth Clark (Full Circle) a regal King Richard.
Supporting the leads is a vast cast of 45 performers including members of the Odyssey company, music students from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama and pupils from Meadowbank School in Cardiff.
The result is a vibrant, colourful, irresistible mayhem. Well paced and packed with memorable one-liners, actor-musicians and an enticing array of costumes, this is Robin Hood meets Enid Blyton with all the "Oh no he isn't", "Boo, hiss" and "She's behind you!" you could wish for.
With a celebratory cake for the WMC's 5th birthday, the obligatory song sheets and even the unforgettable 'Sherwood's Got Talent', (Sugar Babes in the Wood? Knit One Pearl Jam? Inspired!) this is a triumphant Christmas spectacular from the inimitable Odyssey Theatre.

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