Weans in the Wood at Macrobert Arts Centre, Stirling Review
Written by Kerry for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
It’s been twenty years since Johnny McKnight brought us the world of Stirling Stella. Oh no it’s not. Yup, it definitely is. To celebrate, this year takes us into the woods of Magic Merlina’s School for Magical Minors, where she teaches with her daughter, Gretel, who’s top of the class, and abandoned as a baby, Hansel-No-Solo at the bottom. When Merlina’s wand is stolen by Little Red, the Sheriff of Stirling Stella-ham sees it as an opportunity to take over all of the panto-sphere.
Karen Tennet’s set design creates a lived-in environment whilst still keeping integral pantomime elements. The stage has a somewhat invisible cut halfway down, creating an almost second stage. That doesn’t just act as an extra creative outlet for the production, but also means quick set changes can be made without holding up the show. Yet somehow the set can completely transform during musical numbers just by the hidden-until-needed lighting strips. I swear, during one number, they even synced up to the beats of the song.
Like years past, MacRobert pantos always have that extra flair to their costume department. Weans felt like a melting pot of unique yet complementary aesthetics, which pays off, especially as the story itself isn’t a copy and paste that a lot of theatre companies use this time of year. Each “group” seems to have their own specific wardrobe. Hansel, Gretel and students of the magic school lean a lot more towards pastel Memphis design (yes I did have to look that up). Whilst Merlina, like all great dames should, has a multitude of costumes, all seem to fit within the scope of blues and pinks, helping build a visual contrast against the Sheriff’s purple and green. And I don’t know if this was intentional, but a large chunk of the comic relief was adorned in sequins. Or it could have been to help them stand out more against the backdrop, especially Little Red’s get-up (what did you think she’d be wearing? Purple?!) I also adored the Bratz Fashion Pixiez vibe that the fairies in the ensemble wore, I mean that was a top film choice of six-year-old me.
Now if you have been going to the pantos at MacRobert for some years now, you might remember that Weans in the Woods was first produced in 2016. Even though it’s been nine years, weirdly I could still recognise a few things here and there from the previous production. The line about Lego having been stuck in my head since I was sixteen and still truly believe it’s one of the most genius lines written ever, not just in panto or theatre. Nonetheless, Weans feels like a completely new and fresh tale, and that comes down to the legend that is Johnny McKnight. Who has been able to write a banger of a panto every Christmas, not just at MacRobert but also for Tron in Glasgow, (shameless plug but I did also review Gallus in Weegieland and it was amazing!).
Every joke, every music choice, every single beat of the show worked perfectly, and trust me, I’ve seen some odd song choices for pantos in my lifetime, or really just the past few weeks. However, just because you have a good script doesn’t mean the show is a hit, the cast make or break it. And let me tell you, I don’t think you could have got a better cast, even if you time travelled across inter-dimensional planets. All that despite the somewhat questionable Cockney accent thrown in that sounded a little too close to Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins. And I mean that as a huge compliment, especially from someone who can’t do an accent to save her life.
MacRobert’s “Weans in the Woods” is the epitome of panto, with huge laughs not just between characters, but enough banter with the audience your sides will start splitting. It still has heart at its very centre, a show about love and acceptance, it rings true to the messages that can get so easily lost in high-production pantomimes. And on a personal note, I’d like to thank the cast, the crew and especially Johnny. Me and my mum, Alison, go to the panto at MacRobert every year together, besides having to skip one in 2023 due to chemo treatment, this is my first MacRobert panto since her passing in January. It was always the thing we got most excited about in December, and I know she would have loved it just as much, maybe even a little bit more, than me.
Plays until 3 January 2026
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
