"Robin Hood & The Babes In The Wood"
Nottingham Playhouse.

Kenneth Alan-Taylor has done it again by writing and directing another very slick slice of Seasonal fun. He always manages to keep that traditional feel of the panto with the running jokes that we can all look forward to and join in with. It's like seeing a family member that you've not seen for years and you're able to slip back into the comfy shoes syndrome by resuming where you left off from the last time you met.

Mixed with that traditional feel Kenneth has sprinkled a very modern feel with a really broad mixture of songs including a Queen medley, Take That, the song that every panto will be doing this year - which i won't give away do do de do de do - and selections from some classic musicals.

The dancing rabbits are back as well!

It's the classic tale of the Sherriff Of Nottingham getting his henchman, Arnold from Clifton, to collect the taxes from the village people, sorry people from the village, but, not happy with this Robin Hood and his band of merry men and women decide to put a stop to this and take back the money from the rich and give back to the poor. Hurrah!

Tim Frater plays our hero, Robin. Tim has been part of the panto family for a few years now and he always comes back with even more fun and exuberance than the year before, Tim has a great voice which we get to hear on several numbers, and boy can he dance as well.

Kelly Agredo is a lovely Maid Marian and also gets to show off her lovely voice, especially in her duets with Tim.

Adam Pettigrew plays Will Scarlett, who has a new running gag in this panto which I won't give away, but is quite amusing!

Tina Tuck - a nice twist on Friar Tuck, is played by a real little fireball in Clarice Julianda, and is a lovely addition to this particular family. Clarice also has a separate running joke within this panto, which certainly isn't the worst running joke I have seen in panto - that's a clue by the way.

Team Clarice up with Kinden Singh Uppal as Alan A Dale and you have a lovely little twosome of fun. Kinden is a very lithe dancer who gets to bust out some great moves on stage.

It is always lovely to see another little bundle of dynamite of stage in Rebecca Little as Tilly The Tomboy. What energy this woman has and who can not smile when you see her constantly smiling face.

The gorgeous Kelly Edwards plays Milly.

Arnold, The Sheriff's henchman is played by Darren Southworth. Another very energetic performer who is good to see back in panto at the Nottingham Playhouse. Running jokes are rife in this panto and Arnold also gets his own running joke, which after the first time you can see coming, whcih is no bad thing as it breeds familiarity, and in panto that's good.

Robin Kingsland gets to play the baddie who recesses back to his youth at the end thanks to his former nanny - more of that later - a running audience participation part for the Sheriff which the kids, and adults really got into.A classic panto baddie role, which we all love.

Nurse Nelly Noggins, which I'm sure that name has been used in then past for panto, is played by the one and only Mr John Elkington. Now Nottingham's number one professional Dame, taking the mantle from Sir Kenneth Alan Taylor ( well it should be). John is so naturally an entertainer and a master of the ad-lib. There was one part when one of the kids came up for a chat on stage which just made me roll with laughter about a young girl whose hands were permanently held together all the while she was on stage, - well you just had to be there! Kids are great for providing naturally quick- witted comics like John with bullets and John took those bullets and fired them into the audience with marksman like accuracy.

The costumes for Nelly are also worth taking heed of as they get progressively more outrageous as the panto goes on.Wonderful.

The sets, designed by Tim Meacock, were wonderfully lavish, which is what we have come to expect from the Playhouse.

Wonderful exciting choreography by Adele Parry. Crystal clear sound designed by Adam P McCready and a wonderful quartet band - was there really only four people making all of that sound? - musically directed by Mr John Moreton, who never seems to age at all over the years.

Another wonderful and fun show which will have you dancing out into the streets with that warm festive feeling in your heart and tummy.

"Robin Hood & the Babes In The Wood" is at the Nottingham Playhouse until Saturday 19 January 2019.