During the current summer climate, what better way to spend your evening than at an open air theatre show? ‘Outlaws: A Robin Hood Story’ is first up in the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre season, and it’s a perfect night out for the whole family.

Written by Kieran Lynn and directed by Hannah Noone, ‘Outlaws’ tells the classic story of Robin Hood, but with some exciting twists. Noone’s direction is dynamic and super engaging throughout. She utilises the in-the-round nature of the theatre superbly throughout the show, making the audience feel truly immersed. A few bits of the immersive direction can at times feel forced; actors are made to walk in between rows, which just seems a tad unnecessary and awkward. But 99 times out of 100, Noone’s direction is genius - it’s exciting, immersive, and complements the show well. Her direction is only up-levelled by Lynn’s writing - it’s charming, packed with witty humour, and keeps the show nicely paced throughout.

The design throughout the show also utilises the theatre’s unique layout well. Ieuan Reeve’s lighting design is great - whilst they use traditional theatre lighting, the additional use of fairy lights and colourful LED lights adds to the theatre’s whimsy, and makes for exciting lighting states even when the sun is still shining. Charlotte Murphy’s production design is also fabulous - costumes and props are both given moments to excel, and it suits the era of the show.

It’s the talented cast of actor-musicians that make this show so brilliant. Every single one of them have moments to shine, and all of them are unafraid to interact with the audience and truly immerse them in the experience. Perry Moore (Little John) is a true natural at this, squeezing out laugh after laugh from the audience with his witty improvisation. There is great improv from the cast all round, however, with David Ahmad (King John) also making some brilliant remarks.

The standout performances for me though, came from Robin Hood’s Merry “Men” - Abigail Middleton (Alana), Zoe Lambert (Much), and Rebecca Bainbridge (Scarlett). This trio really steal the show, with a brilliant mix of comedy, drama, charm, and killer vocals throughout. Middleton also leads the musical numbers throughout the show with ease, and it’s a shame we don’t get even more of these, as they are all fantastic!

Speaking of music, Matt Baker’s musical direction and composition throughout is excellent. His medieval version of “Boogie Wonderland” is a particular favourite of mine, and the cast's musical talent throughout is brilliant. It’s a shame the theatre doesn’t have any mics, as at times, due to its in-the-round layout, it can be hard to hear certain harmony lines or instruments when they’re far away. However, the raw, acoustic sound really adds an extra layer to the folk inspirations of the piece; it’s just a shame that the sound doesn’t blend as well as it could.

Jess Williams’ choreography and Kaitlin Howard’s fight direction are also spectacular - the fight sequences are so well staged, truly dramatic and flawlessly executed. I also loved Eliza Badham-Moore’s captions, which are used at every performance. It’s great to see theatre becoming increasingly accessible.

All in all, ‘Outlaws’ is a fantastic summer production for the whole family. It’s funny, the music is great, the cast are clearly having the best time on stage, and it’s an exciting, unique experience at the theatre. The weather is perfect at the moment for watching open-air theatre, so make the most of it and go and watch ‘Outlaws: A Robin Hood Story’ - you won’t regret it!

Outlaws: A Robin Hood Story runs until 23 August as part of the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre summer season.

★★★★★

The Latest