With everything from Bon Jovi to a bit of Blackadder - Robin Hood in Williamson Park is an absolute riot, says GREG LAMBERT.
In our pre-show interview, director Elvi Piper told me that this year's park show would be unique, but still pay homage to the TV and film classic versions that we all know and love.
She also promised lots of fun, fantastic fight scenes, and fire!
And Elvi also said the show would deliver a "big dose of something that you're not expecting".
From the Bryan Adams-inspired start to the feel-good finish, Robin Hood delivers on these promises, on every level.
And it's beyond question the funniest park show I've ever seen, going back all the way to the annual event's Shakespeare debut with a pre-fame Andy Serkis in 1987.
Lisa Howard as Friar Tuck
I was crying with laughter at times, particularly in the first-half.
Singling out the second scene for a special mention; it's a masterpiece of comic timing, characterisation, buffoonery and lines that hit the sweet spot like a precisely-fired arrow.
The plot centres around kitchen hand Rob (played by Joe Parker), who isn't your typical hero.
Safe to say, dreamer Rob stumbles into the role of Hood, is fairly hapless at it (especially if you're a rabbit) and receives able assistance from his lady love Marian (Hope Yolanda), sister Jen (Eve Pereira) and gag machine Friar Tuck (Lisa Howard) to get the job done as he battles the bad guys, led by a deliciously evil Sheriff of Nottingham (Ian Crowe).
Ah yes, the Sheriff. He is exactly how I want my baddies. Panto, over the top, brimming with menace but always with tongue planted firmly in cheek.
Crowe is nasty, conniving, brutal, tyrannical, but it's all done with a dastardly wit. Even when he's threatening to behead everyone in sight, including the audience.
Ian Crowe as the Sheriff
He's Alan Rickman meets Blackadder, and echoes of the latter are even more obvious in his sidekick Lord Foppingham (Matthew Ganley) who is Prince George and Lord Percy from the TV sitcom rolled into one, only twice as wet.
Foppingham, as Lady Marian's suitor, is spoiled, entitled, prone to ill-timed bursts of song (his pre-interval ditty is a scream) and literally everything that comes out of his mouth is absolute gold.
The versatile Ganley plays two other very different classic characters during the show.
No spoilers, but safe to say that they aren't quite what they seem, and provide two jaw-dropping twists at either end of the story.
Robin Hood also gets an A-plus for audience interaction.
Getting younger members of the audience involved in the thrills and spills of Robin Hood.
There are plentiful pro wrestling-style cheers for goodies and boos for baddies.
And volunteers from the crowd - both children and adults - become part of the show as 'extras' in key scenes.
(One adult, though, may now be considering archery lessons after some rather wayward shooting...)
A big thumbs up too, for the overall park show experience that transcends the traditional walk-between-scenes, and even crosses over into the interval.
It was surprising, surreal and side-splitting, while queuing for ice cream, to be entertained from the Ashton Memorial steps by a random Lord Foppingham concert (Fopp Idol?) as his backing dancers 'The Sherwood Shakers' - a loveable posse of senior citizens - jigged about like a medieval Zumba class, before dispersing into the crowd to try to sell various disturbing 12th century services.
I politely declined their offer of wart removal.
The park itself, as always, is one of the biggest stars of the show. Let's face it, you'd be hard pressed to find a more perfect setting for Sherwood Forest, outside of Sherwood Forest.
Hope Yolanda plays Lady Marian.
Special effects are top quality too, from the cartoony sounds that accompany the Sheriff's more violent acts, to spectacular smoke on the lake, and yes, you will see fire!
As already hinted, music is a major theme, with often hysterical results. Look out, in particular, for the Livin' on a Prayer/Gregorian monks mash-up you didn't know you needed.
And yes, the fight scenes, especially the swashbuckling sword finale, are fabulously done.
All in all, Robin Hood has everything you want from an epic park adventure, and more.
It certainly left me feeling like a very Merry Man indeed.
Performances continue every night at 7.15pm (except Mondays) until August 23. Book via The Dukes box office.
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