“I steal from the rich and give to the needy
He takes a wee percentage, but I’m not greedy”

Twenty four years later, and the beginning of the “Merry Men” song from “Shrek” is still the first thing I think of when I hear the name Robin Hood, shortly followed by the iconic “Oo-De-Lally” song from the Disney classic film. Yet the “Shrek” lyrics speak far more directly to Matt Murray’s adaptation of the legendary tale in Robin Hood: A Very Merry Family Musical. Directed by Mary Francis Moore, Robin Hood is far more clear on its anti-megacorp messaging than what genre of play it is, though the laughs and holiday delight remain a mainstay.

Robin is a spunky entrepreneur, but her business, Robin’s Hoods, isn’t doing very well: her employees keep quitting and she’s invested everything she has into this current batch of inventory. She’s decided to start selling her hoodies with Glamazon, usually owned by the benevolent King Richard, but is currently under control of the evil Prince John. With the help of her Nursemaid Sparkle Bum, and some new friends she meets along the way (Friar Tuck and Little John), Robin sets out to defeat Prince John and his plans to chop down all of the trees in High Park Forest. But when Prince John’s nephew, Marion, gets involved with Robin and her plans, who will he remain loyal to? How will Robin make sure that all of the small business owners get their gold back from Prince John?

While keeping true to its main purpose of bringing joy and cheer around the holidays, it does feel like Robin Hood is having a smidge of an identity crisis. The rest of the title: A Very Merry Family Musical, is definitely true, it’s still family friendly with just enough jokes of double-entendre to keep the adults laughing. Yet it’s far more of a jukebox musical: the songs they use are poppy and fun, but nothing from this year and the lyrics remained mostly in tact. In The Wizard of Oz last year, they used current popular songs like “Hot To Go” and totally redid the lyrics to make them match the Torozto theme. Likewise, they were selling Labubus at this year’s merch stand, one of the hotest items this year and certain to be on most kids’ Christmas Lists, and yet there wasn’t a single mention of them within the play. While they did use “Golden” and “Take Down” from the smash hit “Kpop Demon Hunters” as instrumental pieces under key scenes, those songs were never revamped to be used in the show. The kids who were sitting in front of me got so excited when they heard those familiar songs, yet were not nearly as excited by the other songs which the characters actually sang. Though we were still encouraged to cheer on our heroes and boo the villain, as per Canadian Stage’s advertising as well, that was one of the few true Panto elements which remained. So this is either a Pantomime without as many current references or songs parodies, or it’s a jukebox musical with some booing and audience participation.

All the while, the very heavy-handed messaging of supporting small businesses is the main focus of Murray’s text. While obviously the children attending the show are going to be accompanied by adults, the pro-little guy messaging is clearly not meant for the young ones in the audience. Though Robin does learn a lesson about letting go of control of certain things and the value of working with others, this message feels more like the subplot to the main story about corporate greed, particularly around the holidays. This is a message that we all need to hear, it’s true, but is a panto-style musical meant for families really the place to be driving home that message?

Brandon Kleiman’s set, Linas Kairys’ projections, and Ming Wong’s costumes all come together to create the magic of High Park Forest. With nods to local businesses and even Ross Petty himself, the street surrounding Robin’s Hoods is medieval Toronto chic. Ming Wong’s costumes also take medieval silhouettes and gives them a sparkly modern update, with Robin in her traditional green and Sparkle Bum in a head-to-toe pink look. Whimsical and full of surprises, Robin Hood is a visual delight!

Bringing Robin Hood to life is a band of merry minstrels who look like they’re having a rollicking good time. Julia Pulo leads the cast again this year as the titular Robin. Her bright personality and stunning voice make her a joy to watch. Praneet Akilla’s Marion takes us on quite the emotional roller coaster throughout the play, and his vocals work beautifully with Pulo’s. Damien Atkins is a delicious villain as Prince John; while it was difficult to boo one of our national treasures all night, he was eating up every moment of it. Daniel Williston plays Sparkle Bum, a darling addition to the Bum family of panto dames. Williston’s vivacity and comedic timing certainly bring the fun to Robin Hood. Adding to the frivolity are panto veteran Eddie Glen and Julius Sermonia as Friar Tuck and Little John. I always love how Eddie is able to connect with the kids who get brought up on stage, even if he did get the whole place going out of their minds at a 67 reference. Malinda Carroll, Jean-Paul Parker, Kyle Brown, Cara Hunter, and Jordan Bell are a fantastic ensemble, portraying Robin’s employees, Prince John’s lackeys, and more. The whole cast shows impressive athleticism in executing the choreography, while also bringing such light and fun to the stage.

Robin Hood is definitely A Very Merry Family Musical. Whether it’s your little one’s first trip to the theatre, or a time-honoured family tradition, Robin Hood is a great way to start off the season. And with shows running into the new year, you can keep the fun going throughout your holiday adventures!

Robin Hood: A Very Merry Family Musical runs at the Winter Garden Theatre until January 4. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.canadianstage.com/shows-events/season/robin-hood

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“Merry Men” lyrics found here: https://genius.com/Vincent-cassel-and-jean-paul-vignon-merry-men-lyrics

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Cover Photo: Eddie Glen, Julius Sermonia, and Julia Pulo. Photo by Dahlia Katz. Set Design by Brandon Kleiman. Costume Design by Ming Wong. Lighting Design by Bonnie Beecher. Projection Design by Cameron Fraser.

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