Actors Bridge Ensemble and Wild Card Productions have teamed to present the gender-bending, patriarchy-smashing, Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood, at Belmont’s Black Box Theatre, with two final performances Saturday, July 7 at 2 p.m and 7:30 p.m. And what more perfect patriarchal stomping tale to tell, after all, anyone who thinks the idea of smashing the patriarchy is a new concept, might want to carefully consider the medieval tale of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Their ‘steal from the rich and give to the poor’ ideology has been smashing Prince John and The Sherif of Noddingham since the 15th century, perhaps even earlier.
That said, Adam Szymkowicz’s Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood continues to smash said patriarchy, while simultaneously smashing not only the tale of Robin Hood as we know it, but the money shifting swashbuckler’s identity itself. For you see, ’tis not the hooded hood who’s righting the societal wrongs, but the fair Maid Marian. That’s right, in this new tale, the fabled Robin Hood isn’t a mystery man at all, SHE’s Maid Marian in disguise. What’s more, HER Merry Men, are mostly like-minded women who’ve decreed, let playing damsel be damned.
For Actors Bridge Ensemble and Wild Card Productions’ merry mounting, they’ve enlisted Britt Byrd as director. Those who know Byrd know that when she’s not on-stage or, in this case, behind the scenes, she has a penchant for cosplaying some kick-ass women like The Joker’s minx, Harley Quinn, and Star Wars’ cunning and brave Rey, so what better piece for her to helm than a comedic costume play (with more than a few surprisingly though-provoking subplots) featuring several strong-willed women and more than a few impressively choreographed sword fight scenes?
Cast as Marian/Robin Hood is Melinda Paul. Whether in literature, on the stage, screen or even in one of my personal favorite depictions, Walt Disney’s 1973 animated feature, Robin Hood has always been portrayed with a self-assured cleverness. Paul takes that characteristic and builds on it, playing both Robin and his fairer alter-ego, Marian with equal parts confidence and concern. While she indeed swashbuckles with the best of them, her gentler scenes with Mackenzie Smith’s Little John provide the oft-outlandish comedic tone of the play with some much-appreciated sweetness. Side Note: Who wouldn’t fall for Smith? That kindness. That accent…that kilt.
True to playwright Szymkowicz’s much-touted gender-bending theme, Ashley Wolfe is spectacular as Alanna Dale, who joins Marian/Robin as one the Merry Men using the only slightly modified moniker, Alan. Wolfe, as Alanna/Alan exudes excitability in her quest to join Robin Hood as one of his Merry Men, even though, unbeknownst to her, Robin is Marian. In addition to her role within the plot, Alanna also serves as the play’s narrator, often breaking the fourth wall to address the audience directly and keep them abreast of the seemingly complicated, but quite frankly, simplistic who’s who and what’s what of the plot. Alanna’s keenness to be one ‘one of the guys’ takes an interesting turn when, as Merry Man, Alan, he falls for fellow Merry Man, Will Scarlet (Lakota Jernigan). Again, relying on the gender-bending premise, Will is, in actuality Scarlet, yet another non-distressing damsel. Scenes between Wolfe’s Alanna/Alan and Jernigan’s Will/Scarlet run the gamut from adorably awkward to an interestingly ah-ha-inducing realization that even in medieval times, love is love and always has been.
Just when you think the playwright can’t pierce the heart any more, there’s even a hilarious ‘will they or won’t they’ running subplot between JR Knowles and Gavin Jernigan as two of the Prince’s Guards. Spoiler Alert: You KNOW they will!
Speaking of his Highness, Fred Brown, as Prince John is regal indeed. That is, if inciting royally rambunctious laughter scene after scene is majestic. Playing his grandiose status to the hilt, Brown’s Prince John lands brilliantly somewhere between Hanna Barbera’s Snagglepuss and a libidinous caricature of pretty much any Richard Burton role. His dalliances with Melissa Silengo as Lucy, his favored concubine are quite hilarious.
Other stand-outs include Kate Adams as Lady Shirley and Diego Gomez as Friar Tuck. The first, with a penchant for baubles and sex, the second given to drink and…well…sex. While she’s supposed to beholden to David Wilkerson as the Sheriff of Noddingham, Lady Shirley gets more than her flirt on with the frisky Friar. Licentious doesn’t even being to describe Adams’ and Gomez’s on-stage chemistry as the randy duo.
While Gomez isn’t portraying dual roles on-stage, he is in fact wearing two hats during this production. Not only is his snagging laughs from the audience as Lady Shirley’s boytoy, he also serves behind the scenes as the show’s fight choreographer. Meanwhile the aforementioned Wilkerson plays the villainous Sheriff convincingly, but he too has a hand in the fight scenes as the show’s fight captain/consultant. I mention these two backstage credits because the fight scenes are that good. Whether wrestling, pulling punches or sword fighting, the precision and care executed by each and every cast member deserves accolades.
Making the most of their limited time on stage, the remainder of the cast consists of Alexandra Chopson as the non-gender-conforming Much the Miller’s Son; Blake Hollliday as the playfully androgynous Tommy of No Consequence and Dominique Howse and Matthew Benenson as Sir Lenny and Sir Theo.
Also of note is set design by Paul Gatrell. Belmont’s Black Box Theatre provides the perfect venue for Marian and Gatrell’s set utilizes the space marvelously. I especially appreciated the larger than life arrows plunged into the ground around the corners of the stage, offering an impressionistic interpretation perhaps of the mighty pines of Sherwood Forest.
While I’ve delved into the gender-flip prevalent throughout the show, it should be noted that the playwright, and this production’s director don’t get preachy. It’s a comedy after all and what better way to broaden thought than through humor?
Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood wraps its two-week run with a 2 p.m matinee Saturday, July 7 and a final evening performance Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Wild Card Productions announced a special half-price discount for the matinee. Simply use the promo code “Hot-BOGO” when ordering tickets. CLICK HERE for tickets. To keep up with what’s next for Wild Card Productions, follow them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Follow Actor Bridge Ensemble on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter.
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