West Valley City • Everyone knows and loves Robin Hood, the charming rogue who steals from the rich and gives to the poor. But what if Robin isn’t actually an altruistic antihero? What if he’s just a common criminal?
That’s one of the twists in “The Heart of Robin Hood,” David Farr’s rollicking adventure now making its regional premiere at Hale Centre Theatre with new music by Dave Tinney and Rob Moffat.
The other big twist — and this one won’t be much of a spoiler, as it becomes apparent less than 10 minutes into the show — is that “The Heart of Robin Hood” isn’t Robin’s story but Maid Marion’s. Tired of being confined to her castle while her father is away at the Crusades, and disinclined to accept an arranged marriage to the rapacious Prince John, the young noblewoman runs off to join forces with the Merry Men. When her hero turns out to be a disappointment, Marion comes up with a Plan B. Her scheme won’t surprise anyone who has seen a few Shakespeare comedies (or Disney‘s “Mulan,” for that matter), but that doesn’t diminish the fun of this fast-paced, high-energy production.
In a departure from Hale tradition, the four major roles are single-cast. Riley Branning is a formidable hero, investing Marion with distinctive country-rock vocals, impressive fight skills and a wealth of natural charm. Derek Smith gives an equally well-rounded performance as Robin, who, it turns out, has his heart in the right place after all. Benjamin J. Henderson is a proper villain, the kind who would literally twirl his mustache were it not integrated into an immaculately styled goatee. His villainous credo is one of the high points of the score. Daniel Fenton Anderson anchors the action as Marion’s fool, Pierre, who, like Robin, becomes a reluctant hero.
In earlier productions at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon and in Canada, an onstage band provided most of the music in “The Heart of Robin Hood.” Hale’s production integrates the music into the storytelling. The songs add flavor, if not a lot of substance, and what sounds like crazy-quilt eclecticism — from Old English folk songs to groovy ’60s rock — feels fresh and fun. (Peggy Willis’ costume designs, including delightful touches such as Pierre’s tie-dyed high-tops, carry out the theme.)
Director Dave Tinney finds a family-friendly balance between the script’s jolly banter and casual violence by making some of the violent acts blatantly cartoonish, playing others in slow motion and moving the rest offstage. The point is still made, and the “Princess Bride” tone the producers are striving for is preserved.
Tinney also is tasked with adapting the show’s wildly acrobatic original staging to the West Valley City theater’s intimate space. The theater-in-the-round doesn’t lend itself to aerial silks or a giant hill, but Tinney and fight choreographer Brad Schroeder make good use of its ramps and staircases. The small, round platform stage on which most of the fighting takes place adds an extra element of danger, but all combatants kept their balance in Saturday’s performance — just as this production balances heart and hijinks.
Into the woods<br>Hale Centre Theatre presents a regional premiere of ”The Heart of Robin Hood.”<br>Where • Hale Centre Theatre, 3333 S. Decker Lake Drive, West Valley City<br>When • Reviewed Saturday, Aug. 26; plays nightly at 7:30, except Sundays, with Saturday matinees at 12:30 and 4 p.m., through Oct. 14<br>Tickets • $34 ($18 for youth K-12; no children under 5 permitted); 801-984-9000, hct.org or the theater box office
