A musical stage version of Tony Robinson’s children’s TV comedy Maid Marian And Her Merry Men is finally edging towards fruition.
Musical comic and Olivier Award winning composer Vikki Stone has written the book, music and lyrics for the new show, which is expected to open later this year.
And things are getting under way with a workshop performance of the show at London’s Soho Theatre in front of an invited audience later this month.
Sir Tony, who created the series, first revealed plans for a stage show in 2018, but it was scuppered by Covid. He has also been working on a possible TV reboot of the show – which originally ran on BBC One from 1989 until 1994 – with Netflix said to be interested.
The comedy retold the legend of Robin Hood, placing Maid Marian as leader of the medieval gang and demoting the famous outlaw to the role of an incompetent, vain tailor. Sir Tony, now 77, played the Sheriff of Nottingham with Kate Lonergan as Maid Marian, Adam Morris as Robin of Kensington and Danny John-Jules as Barrington.
As well as writing the new script Stone will take the Sheriff of Nottingham role in the workshop performance
She said: ‘I cannot tell you how delighted I am to be writing Maid Marian. Its was one of my absolute favourite kids TV shows in the ‘90s, and I couldn’t be more excited to be working with comedy legend Sir Tony Robinson on this wonderful show.’
Bronté Barbé – who played Kathy in the fringe theatre hit Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder – takes the title role in the workshop with West End star Myles Miller as Robin Hood. The cast also features comics Nick Helm as King John and Marek Larwood, and the show is being directed and developed by Benji Sperring.
Stone’s musical theatre credits include the stage version of Hey Duggee and the Lyric Hammersmith’s pantomime, Cinderella.
Thanks for reading. If you find Chortle’s coverage of the comedy scene useful or interesting, please consider supporting us with a monthly or one-off ko-fi donation.
Any money you contribute will directly fund more reviews, interviews and features – the sort of in-depth coverage that is increasingly difficult to fund from ever-squeezed advertising income, but which we think the UK’s vibrant comedy scene deserves.
