Berkshire

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-48.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park panto near me" class="wp-image-74074" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-48.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-48-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-48-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-48-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-48-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Unleash the mayhem! The pantos at South Hill Park are notoriously outlandish, bonkers, and just pretty spectacular. But this year, they may have just outdone themselves. 



On the cards, <a href="https://www.southhillpark.org.uk/shp-events/robin-hood/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow</a> &#8211; a tale that follows Robin and his Merry Crew, who, after having their land taken by the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham, attempt to reclaim their home, save Maid Marion, and bring home the missing King Richard. Phewww. Talk about a tall order. But if anyone can pull off an all-out thrill buster packed with catchy tunes, witty humour, and a sprinkling of Christmas magic, it&#8217;s the award-winning creative team at South Hill Park in Bracknell.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-4.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park" class="wp-image-74068" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-4.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-4-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-4-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-4-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-4-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The nitty gritty of the plot is secondary to the lashings of fun packed into the two-hour extravaganza. Things start with a bang, using LED digital screens which show the happy chappy King Richard having an absolute blast in sunny Ibiza. Cue the laughs. Later, he&#8217;s seen ordering strawberry daiquiris and getting down to a bit of techno. Honestly, who can blame the guy?



If there&#8217;s anything that defines South Hill Park&#8217;s productions, it&#8217;s that they really are down with the kids. And not in that try hard, cringe way where it&#8217;s obvious a gen-zer isn&#8217;t penning it. The panto powerhouse consistently has their finger on the pulse when it comes to viral moments, trends, and songs from across the past year. But that&#8217;s credit to the genius of script writer Joyce Branagh (yep, it&#8217;s Kenneth&#8217;s sister) who year after year sprinkles her magic into the show to high acclaim.



The musical proceedings began with a take on Beyoncé&#8217;s smash hit Texas Hold &#8216;Em. &#8220;This ain’t Bracknell, it’s a forest&#8221; the lyrics chime. It was a fantastic opening number that captivated the audience from the get-go. The brilliance only continued with musical takes on the likes of No Scrubs, the Spice Girls, and Charli XCX. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-17.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park" class="wp-image-74070" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-17.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-17-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-17-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-17-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-17-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



As for the cast, you won&#8217;t find an all-star lineup here. But an ensemble oozing talent, charisma, and impeccable comedic timing? Oh, yes you will. Edward Conroy playing the Sheriff of Nottingham was a particular stand out who worked the crowd like a seasoned pro, inciting boos every time he so much as breathed on stage. He had the crowd roaring with laughter. His rendition of Louis Theroux&#8217;s My Money Don&#8217;t Jiggle Jiggle had the kids in stitches. It was hilarious. 



Later, he calls himself a better-looking Harry Styles before becoming the victim of a sketch that sees him piled with cream pies and water. At one point, his wig fell clean off, and honestly, I still can&#8217;t work out if that was meant to happen or not. It had everyone roaring with laughter nonetheless.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-92.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park" class="wp-image-74079" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-92.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-92-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-92-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-92-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-92-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The same praise could be said for all the cast. Dame Fanny Scarlett played by the incomparable Paul Toulson was as loud, vivacious, and naughty as ever. He&#8217;s not your typical panto dame &#8211; think more Ru Paul&#8217;s Drag Race, yet he was the person I was by far most excited to see on stage. He never disappoints and has established himself as a real fan favourite. Julian from the front row may not be so hot to agree &#8211; the unsuspecting victim of Fanny&#8217;s hilarious flirting attempts. &#8220;Have you had much fanny in your life?&#8221; she says at one point. The humour hits the sweet spot &#8211; just PG enough to fly right over the heads of little ones, but a right laugh for the adults.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-88.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park" class="wp-image-74078" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-88.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-88-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-88-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-88-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-88-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Forget Brat summer, another highlight has to be Fanny serving full on Brat Christmas &#8211; strutting her stuff and whipping out the moves to the viral TikTok dance of Charli XCX&#8217;s Apple. You know, the &#8216;I think the apple&#8217;s rotten right to the core,&#8217; one. Honestly, where were you this summer? Safe to say the kids went wild &#8211; some in the crowd even joining in. They were utterly obsessed, and honestly, same. Again, another example of South Hill Park&#8217;s whip sharp knack for the modern twist.



It&#8217;s worth pointing out there are also special adult nights put on throughout the panto run. Essentially just a few F-bombs and dirty innuendos thrown in here and there. I went last year, and I can&#8217;t recommend it enough if you&#8217;re raring to ditch the kids in the name of mulled wine and a good time. You go girl.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-3.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park" class="wp-image-74067" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-3.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-3-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-3-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-3-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-3-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The dynamic duo of Rebecca Ayres as Willhemeena Scarlett and Becca Francis as Ellen-a-dale were also fantastic. Their singing? Tens across the board. Just magical. Both had a real presence on stage, with Rebecca in particular leading the charge on the audience interaction side of things. Maid Marion is played by the beautiful Rachel Warrick-Clarke and Keir Buist dons the Robin Hood leggings. I loved their chemistry on stage, and honestly, who doesn&#8217;t love it when the boy gets the girl and vice versa. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-62.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park" class="wp-image-74076" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-62.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-62-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-62-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-62-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-62-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



The final battle scene where the cast dressed up as the Spice Girls summed up the panto in a nutshell. All out outrageous Christmas fun that you can&#8217;t help falling for. It ends on a 90s blast from the past, the audience encouraged to get up, dance, and sing to Vengaboys&#8217; We&#8217;re Going To Ibiza!



It&#8217;s worth noting, everything you see on stage &#8211; from the costumes to the set are all created in-house by their own insanely talented creative fairies. There&#8217;s nothing amateur about it at all. The set works hard, creating a spellbinding backdrop that seamlessly changes with each scene. You only have to take one look at Fanny&#8217;s Brat dress to know the costumes are, well, utterly fabulous. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1001" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-49.jpg" alt="Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park panto near me" class="wp-image-74075" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-49.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-49-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-49-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-49-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/11/south-hill-SHP-RobinHood-panto24-49-768x513.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



Panto fatigue isn&#8217;t in the South Hill lingo. You can expect some returning classics like the &#8216;he&#8217;s behind you&#8217; ghost skit and your water gun soaking segment (I too got a drenching), but recycled jokes, same old songs, and tired set pieces you will not. This is a theatre that keeps it fresh, modern, and is peppered with crowd-pleasing current day references. I loved that they took the bare bones of Robin Hood and ran with it, injecting their own creative flair into the story and putting their own spin on things. It was anything but predictable.



I took my Nan along to my performance, who, at the end, said it was one of the best pantos she’s ever seen. If that’s not high praise, I don’t know what is. “It’s nice to forget about everything and the world for a while”, she said as we headed to the car, the sound of the Vengaboys rattling in our heads. And honestly, that’s what the magic of Panto is all about.&nbsp;Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow is the definition of festive cheer that lifts you up, helps you escape, and leaves you smiling from ear to ear.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-muddy-verdict">THE MUDDY VERDICT</h2>



Good for:&nbsp;Everyone! Kids will be talking for weeks about the all-out chaos, hilarious stage antics, and catchy songs.



Not for:&nbsp;The restless. Littlies may struggle with the over two-hour runtime. 



Grab your tickets to see <a href="https://www.southhillpark.org.uk/shp-events/robin-hood/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow</a> at South Hill Park, Bracknell, <a href="https://www.southhillpark.org.uk/shp-events/robin-hood/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. Prices from £22.50.

Review: Robin Hood and the Magic Arrow at South Hill Park

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