Robin Hood and The Major Oak follows on from previous Derby Theatre smash-hit family shows and will be a high-energy, hilarious production featuring live music and a talented company of actor-musicians, Deaf, hearing and interpreting actors. This family-friendly production promises to be bang on target for audiences of all ages looking to embark on a spectacular theatrical journey Sherwood Forest-style.
The cast for Robin Hood and The Major Oak includes: Becky Barry as Roger the Reeve (The Emperor’s New Clothes, Treasure Island and The Jungle Book for Derby Theatre and Romeo & Juliet for Shakespeare’s Globe); Adam Bassett as the Sheriff of Nottingham (A Christmas Carol for Hull Truck, Macbeth for Leeds Playhouse, 4.48 Psychosis for Deafinitely Theatre, Up ‘n’ Under for Fingersmiths, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Love’s Labour’s Lost for Deafinitely Theatre and Moving On, Deaf Funny, Small World and Four Deaf Yorkshiremen Go To Blackpool for TV); Abey Bradbury as Scarlett ((Much Ado About Nothing for The GOAT, Wild Boy, Peterborough Ate My Hamster and Before You Go for the Lamphouse Theatre, It’s Different For Girls for She Productions and Unseemly Women for the Hope Mill Theatre); Laura Goulden as Tuck (Much Ado About Nothing for Ramps on the Moon and Sheffield Theatres, The Gruffalo for Tall Stories, Stig of The Dump for Storyhouse and integrated/interpreted credits including In The Willows for Metta Theatre, Punk Rock for Prime Theatre, Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World for Kenny Wax and Mavra/Pierrot Lunaire for the Royal Opera House); John Holt Roberts as Adam Aquarius (The Wind in the Willows, Kes, Alice in Wonderland and The Gingerbread Man for Derby Theatre); Emily Howlett as Maid Marian (on selected performances) and BSL understudy (Much Ado About Nothing for Sheffield Theatres, The Gruffalo and The Snow Dragon for Tall Stories plus numerous other theatre and TV credits); April Nerissa Hudson as Winifred Weaver and understudy for speaking roles (The Wind in the Willows, Treasure Island and The Little Mermaid for Derby Theatre, WANTED for Gazebo Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Front Room Productions and Freeman for Strictly Arts Theatre Company): Oraine Johnson as Little John (Treasure Island, The Jungle Book and One Man, Two Guvnors for Derby Theatre and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest for Torch Theatre); Craig Painting as Robin Hood (Jekyll & Hyde for Derby Theatre and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, Holes and The Legend of Robin Hood for Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, Oliver Twist for Leeds Playhouse, The Jungle Book and The Firework-Maker’s Daughter for Birmingham Stage Company, UK tour and Of Tea & Love, D.I. Ray and Doctors for TV); Phillipa Russell as Much (Lilies on the Land for a UK tour, Kukonor for a UK tour, Peter Pan for Lincoln Drill Hall, The Seven Deadly Sins in Norway, Threadbare for Melbourne Fringe Festival and Wish 3 Wishes in Sydney and Melbourne); Dominic Rye as Guy of Gisbourne (Treasure Island and The Jungle Book for Derby Theatre, The Passion for Gatton Park Theatre, Treasure Island for Leicester Haymarket Theatre, Alice in Wonderland for Guildford Shakespeare Company, Swallows and Amazons for Storyhouse Theatre and Much Ado About Nothing for Grosvenor Park Theatre); Joanna Simpkins as Alana Dale (Jinny for Derby Theatre, The Vertical Hour, Elektra and The Rivals for Theatre by the Lake, The 39 Steps for Black Rat Productions, How the Other Half Loves, Turn of the Screw and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Torch Theatre Company plus Doctors and Emmerdale for TV); and Mia Ward as Maid Marian (Reverberations (a short film) and Up for It for TV).
Joining the cast, as members of our Community Company, are: Karina Abbasi, Chloe Akiwowo, Tom Carlisle, Eesha Chohan, Christian Correia, Nevaya Davidson, Jasmine Freeman, Abena Halliday-Fox, Assis Jabang, Shannon John, Gabriel Kearney, Emilie Kitchen, Poppy Loughlin, Kamil Luczyk, Calen Mann, Catherine Meakin, Caroline Msimanga, Jeremy Nelson, Macy Nugent, Grace Parker-Mckoy, Isola Penman, Crina Roscan, Benjamin Sanders, Diana Scott, Riley Sheehan-Moore, Roshni Sidhu, Maria Slack, Heather Slonimski, Emily Stapleton, Courtney Widdowson, Iyisha Williams, Emma White and Kitty Wright.
The creative team for Robin Hood and The Major Oak are: Deborah McAndrew (Writer); Sarah Brigham (Director); Lilac Yosiphon (Associate Director); Jenny Sealey (Dramaturg); Deepa Shastri (BSL Consultant); Donna Mullings (Assistant BSL Consultant); Emily Bestow (Set Designer); Tim Heywood (Costume Designer); Alexandra Stafford (Lighting Designer); Barrett Hodgson (Creative Captions and AV); Ivan Stott (Composer and Sound Designer) and Ian Stapleton (Fight Director).
For Easter 2023, join Robin, Tuck, Marian, Little John and their Sherwood Forest friends (and foes) for a thrilling new adventure: Robin Hood and The Major Oak, a merry new adaptation by Deborah McAndrew based on the classic, much-loved story.
When the Sheriff of Nottingham hears an ancient prophecy, he is sure he can defeat Robin Hood once and for all. Now the merry band must defend their leader, the legend, and the forest itself!
“You’d be nuts not to see this delightful production”
East Midlands Theatre on The Wind in the Willows
“A joyous production”
The Guardian on Treasure Island
“Utterly uplifting and upbeat”
The Stage on The Jungle Book
ACCESSIBLE PERFORMANCES
All performances will have fully integrated British Sign Language and Captioning.
Relaxed Performance – Sunday 2 April, 2pm
Specifically aimed to appeal to audience members who are on the autistic spectrum or have sensory sensitivities, or those who would benefit from a more relaxed atmosphere as regards to making noise or moving around– this performance will be available at reduced capacity.
Audio Described Performances: Wednesday 5 & Saturday 8 April,1.30pm (with Touch Tour available)
Best and recommended view for integrated captioning: seats on rows D-H
TICKETS AND HOW TO BOOK
Robin Hood and The Major Oak is now on general sale.
Tickets:
£8 – £26, under 26s £11 – £24
16-25 year olds, £5 on Friday evenings.
Schools and young person group rate: £11.50, available on all performances – one free teacher ticket with every 10 purchased on school bookings
Friends:
- 50% off the following performances: Sat 25 Mar, 1.30pm and 7pm; Mon 27 Mar, 7pm, Tue 28 Mar, 7pm and Thu 30 Mar, 7pm (bands A, B and C only) – so, not including lowest price band.
- £5 off all other performances (bands A & B only)