The Open-Air Theatre in Grosvenor Park, located next to the River Dee in Chester, must be one of the most pleasantly-located venues in the country, alongside being the second home of the illustrious Storyhouse Theatre. After a pleasant stroll through the park grounds, there is something of a festival atmosphere as you walk through a compound with food, beer and wine tents with ample seating before entering the auditorium which is a true theatre-in-round, with around 500 fully-raked seats, four entrances and an ample performance area.
Writer Kieran Lynn takes the familiar Robin Hood story and alternates the tone continuously between pathos and comedy, incorporating a lot of action, from dance to fight scenes. The twist in this version is that Robin Hood and the villainous Sheriff of Nottingham are actually old school friends whose paths in life have taken different courses and find themselves as love-rivals for the hand of Maid Marion. We also learn that the Sheriff's actual name is Philip (truly a novel idea!) and Robin’s ‘Merry Men’ all appen to be women, apart from Little John (whose his own expressed love for Robin is left ambiguous).
Director Hannan Noane was clearly oblivious to any fourth wall when blocking this show, with the cast sometimes sitting amongst the audience or requiring them to look after their musical instruments for a while, in one instance even dragging a couple up into the central performance area and there are a lot of other interactions such as when the Sherriff offers a rose on bended knee to various ladies on the front ows. The stairways up the rows of seating also serve as performance areas. A lot of exchanges between cast and audience are virtual pantomime but the tight direction of some of the fight scenes together with a few notable dramatic exchanges amongst the cast take the show to a higher level and unlike anything in pure pantomime, we actually see some characters go an emotional journey.
This is also an actor/musician show and a number of popular songs from the 70s and 80s such as Dancing in the Dark’, ‘A town call Malice’ and ‘Holding out for a hero’, are weaved in, in much the same way as in the movie ‘A knight’s tale’ where what initially sounds like medieval music quickly morphs into a modern song. To this end, acoustic instruments are boldly used on stage (an acoustic guitar does after all vaguely resembles a lute!) whilst the electric base-guitar (variously played by King John and Little John), looking too obviously 20 th century, is almost hidden behind a banner on a musician’s platform on the top row. Other instruments range from an accordion to a violin giving the show a rich range of sounds.
The costuming is suitably medieval, with banners on poles giving a nice period feel, together with the outfits looking generally quite authentic for the styles of the period. In the light of England’s recent defeat to Argentina in the world cup, the play also serves as a timely reminder that the ‘three lions’ device was used by the English monarchy centuries before our national football team adopted it! The cast of thirteen (with some doubling up in various minor roles) give the impression of a big show, with minimal props other than occasional table and chairs brought on and off stage.
This is a fun, entertaining show with a lot of action in which audience participation is regularly encouraged and ensures a very pleasant way to spend a summer evening.
'Outlaws – A Robin Hood story’ is on until the 23rd August.
Storyhouse.com
Reviewer: John Waterhouse
On: 16.07.26
