Rubbin Wood-Pumpkin Pantos.

Pantomime season has started with the festive season just around the corner. As an adult, Pantomimes go. This is a real treat this year by Pumpkin Pantos. Rubbin Wood is based on the tale of Robin Hood with plenty of adult themed humour.

Fairy Hanny, the stoned and drunk hippy fairy, played by Jade Williams, sets the opening scene and introduces the audience to our hero, Robin Hood. Armed with her magic mushroom wand, she is determined to restore peace and love to the evening regardless of what happens next.

Alex Williams takes on the role of the “sexy” outlaw in green, who is desperately trying to avoid commitment with Maid Marion (Sabrina Hinchcliffe).

However, he needs to take on the Sheriff of Frottingham first played by Naomi Hill, whose first class pantomime baddie has mastered the art of riling up the audience to boo and heckle as required.

In act two, there’s a real treat in store as Hinchcliffe performs a fantastic solo number, and you can see why she has worked in some well-known musicals.

Robin is also joined by David Louch as Silly Willy Scarlet and Ben Kennedy as Little Johnnie (all will be revealed) to become his band of merry men.

Josh Dixon is the ultra glamorous Pantomime Dame as Mother Tucker. If you say her name too fast, you could potentially have a different mother! The range of costumes would be at home on a high budget larger Theatre staged production, absolutely stunning.

There a few mishaps throughout the performance although as its Pantomime this could easily have been deliberate, it makes no difference to the enjoyment of the Pantomime and playing to a full house who were completely in the panto mindset and spirit all night. I did feel for Robin Hood as a couple of hecklers were throwing him off cue, although I am sure they are friends or family off-stage, and it added to the fun.

The innuendos are thick and fast, although they never descended into derogatory and sexist territory. Writer and director Josh Dixon, aka Mother Tucker, has pitched the storyline at adults without degrading any group in the process.

A special mention has to go to the costume designer D and S costumes for all the cast costumes, which were superb and befitting for each character. Not forgetting Christopher Hardcastle and Steve Boyce, who designed the gorgeous Dame wardrobe.