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(Posted
10 a.m., June 13)
OOPS offers unique take on the ageless tale of Robin Hood
By Fred Sherwin
Orléans Online
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 The
Orleans Older Players production of 'Robin...OOPS'
stars Susan Ashton as Robin Hood, and Sebastien
Melbourne as Maid Marion. Fred Sherwin/Photo
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The story of Robin Hood and his merry men is one of those
ageless classics that has been told so many times, you think
you have heard and seen them all, and then along comes the
Orleans Old Players.
"Robin...
OOPS (A half-baked panto)" is a fresh and entirely
silly take on the classic tale.
In the Orleans Old Players story, Robin Hood is getting
a little long in the tooth. He still robs from the rich
and gives to the poor, but he's getting bored and contemplating
retirement in either Bora Bora, or Rockland.
His
lady love, Maid Marion, is not only bored, she's also
fed up waiting for Robin Hood to pop the question and
marry her. Apparently, he keeps giving all the money he
takes from the rich to the poor and never has enough left
over to pay for a wedding. But after waiting 27 years,
Marion has had enough and gives Robin an ultimatum. Either
marry her now or she'll marry the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Unbeknownst
to both Marion and Robin, the Sheriff, who is also contemplating
retirement, has hatched a plan to trick Marion into marrying
him with the help of his henchman Gloom and a witch's
magic potion hidden in a cake.
The
plan works until Robin appears at the last minute, rescues
Marion, and leaves the Sheriff and Gloom to the witch
who wants revenge for getting stiffed on the portion.
There's
a few other bits in between, including three rapping nuns
who advance the plot with their minstrel accompanist Marc
Leguerrrier, and a half dozen satirical numbers, but you
get the general picture.
The
cast is mix of OOPS veterans like Sue Ashton, who plays
Robin Hood, and Randy Bellini, who plays the Sheriff of
Nottingham, and a couple of newcomers including Sophia
Sudnikowicz, who plays Little John, and Lydia Chala, who
plays one of the rapping nuns.
The
other two nuns are played by Céline Nadeau and
Sarah Benfield, who I've dubbed the busiest actor in Orléans
because she's been in every play I've seen this year.
Another
OOPS veteran, Biz MacDonald, is hilarious as the overly
inebriated Friar Tuck, and Tina Chan plays the perfect
sidekick/henchman as Gloom.
The
rest of the merry men are played by André Lacasse
(Alan A-Dale) and Karen Bolt who does double duty as Will
Scarlett and the witch.
I
saved the best for last. In the panto tradition of men
playing the role of the heroine, Sebastien Melbourne plays
a rather tall Maid Marion.
Melbourne
is brilliant and fits the role beautifully. He's a real
natural, if not a natural blond, and he seems as comfortable
on the stage as his more veteran castmates.
You
can catch "Robin... OOPS (A half-baked panto)"
in the Richcraft Theatre at the Shenkman Arts Centre on
Saturday, June 13 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are
available at the door and cost $10 for adults and $5 for
children and seniors.
(This
story was made possible thanks to the generous support of
our local business partners.)
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