Pantomime Analysis

The basic plot is that the town of Nottingham’s evil dictator is demanding increased tax from the population. Some peasants go out to Robin Hood and his gang of merry men for help and the battle between good and evil unfolds before the audiences eyes with many twists along the way.
In this production it was clear, from the very start, that the writer’s aim was to entertain the audience whilst keeping traditional pantomime conventions intertwined within the play. We were welcomed into the story by 3 narrating character; named Scurvy, Scrappy and Podge. These names give the impression of evil and the characters personalities matched their ugly names. The alliterating names of Scurvy and Scrappy contrast with the short blunt name of Podge. This is relevant because Scurvy and Scrappy seem to be close whereas Podge seems to be just a tag along. Further evidence of traditional pantomime conventions come in the form of; audience participation, eccentric costume and props, spontaneous singing and dancing and many more.
The set and staging in this performance was used very effectively. The stage was a proscenium style stage, with the main part of the plot being performed inside the stage with small sections of audience addressed dialogue and monologue in front of the stage. This was a good use of staging because the audience could easily differentiate between the different parts of the play. Set changes were very slick which helped keep the pace of the story up without hindering the performance in any way. In the opening scene in the pub, boards were used to shrink the stage into a smaller area; this had the effect of making it feel cosy and jolly. The boards opened up to the audience inviting us into pub life, we could see dancing, singing and card games, and this all gave the impression of a good atmosphere. When the Duke entered all of the peasants rushed upstage and huddled together whilst the Duke and his henchmen were downstage on a small raised platform.