Review: The Heart of Robin Hood at the RSC Stratford

The Heart of Robin Hood

Royal Shakespeare Theatre

Stratford

The RSC's Christmas show has a lot going for it. The set is magnificent, a huge greensward vanishing up a perilous slope at the back of the stage. High above us is the canopy of a vast oak from which players descend on ropes.

There's some fine acting. James McArdle is like a young Sean Bean, a blunt Yorkshire Robin who steals from the rich but gives nowt to the poor. Iris Roberts is a sexy, feisty and hugely energetic Marion. Her servant Pierre (Olafur Darri Olafsson) is a gloriously self-obsessed coward and Martin Hutson gives us a deliciously psychotic Prince John.

But it's a strange sort of show, written by David Farr and directed by Icelander Gisli Orn Gardarsson who brings some dark, jarring changes of mood.

Essentially this is a kids' show. And yet a priest is murdered in cold blood, a lord has his tongue ripped out and two terrified children stand beneath the hanged body of their father. Imagine Jack and the Beanstalk as directed by Michael Winner and you've got it.

It is disjointed, disturbing and there are too many people running on and off stage in search of others for my taste.

But the kids, who made up half of last night's audience, loved it and who can argue with that?

The Heart of Robin Hood runs until January 7.

By Peter Rhodes.