Review: Robin Hood, at the Manchester Opera House

Oo-de-lally, golly what a day!

Merry Christmas everyone! This is the last piece of theatre of 2025 - a panto no less. What a way to end the year. 

Add in the fact that it was my boyfriend's first ever panto (!!!), and you have a very special evening. 

To make the season super festive, and end the year on a high theatrically, we caught the Manchester pantomime, which this year, was Robin Hood. 

The dazzling, bow and arrow-wearing hero, who steals from the rich to give to the poor, is the only one who can stop the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Will he succeed?

For the fourth year in a row, the Manchester panto is headlined by Jason Manford and Ben Nickless

This year, the pair not only starred, but also wrote the adventure, along with Harry Michaels. There are, as you would expect, plenty of jokes for both adults and children alike to enjoy. In fact, a couple of jokes written for the kids went right over my head (can someone please explain 6 7 to me?!). 

I have heard it before, that the Manchester pantos have turned into the Jason Manford show. And I can get that to an extent. If you aren't a Jason Manford fan, then this may not be the panto for you. However, Nickless shares the stage just as much as Manford, bouncing off each other (this time as Robin Hood and Will Scarlett respectfully), very well indeed, bringing plenty of laughs, just like they did with Jack & the Beanstalk. There are also some gags from previous gigs for the regulars - even I, after one year, remembered the In The Gap joke. 

The supporting cast give great moments too. Adam Strong (Aladdin) was deliciously camp as the Sherriff of Nottingham. It was nice to see him play an actual panto villain (as his Jafar I thought was very panto villain-esque). Landi Oshinowo and Sarah Vaughn also give great support as the Spirit of Sherwood and Maid Marian respectfully. 

The entertainment factor was turned up with the musical number choices

From Take That's Shine, to John Lennon's Imagine, the songs were fun, cheesy, and well performed by the cast, including an ensemble of very talented dancers. My personal best was A Pantomime, a cover of Something Rotten's A Musical, not surprising with Manford's involvement, as he will be starring as Nick Bottom in the Manchester run next year (which I am so looking forward to seeing). 

Speaking of entertainment, things going wrong always provide a lot of entertainment. The ghost scene was one prime example of the scenery not doing what you want it to do. Plus Oshinowo accidentally throwing toilet rolls into the audience, and her wig coming off were hilarious.

All in all, Robin Hood is an adventure full of fun, laughs, gags, and everything you would expect from a panto

Manchester's panto is worth checking out to keep the festive season going. Perfect for all ages, it is guaranteed to give you a good time, and a barrel of laughs. 

And with that, Happy Christmas to all who celebrate. See you in the New Year for my review of the year.