Strathmore Theatrical Arts Group (STAG) has opened their third season for 2025 with a rambunctious jaunt through Sherwood Forest and Nottingham Castle.
If you thought you knew the story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, think again (and think ‘more merry’, and ‘less men’…).
‘Marian, or the True Tale of Robin Hood’ details the ‘real’ story of Robin Hood, where all is not as we thought: Robin Hood is actually Maid Marian in disguise, The Merry Men are by and large made up of women pretending to be men, and love runs (very!) rampant in all its glorious forms across Nottingham Castle and Sherwood Forest.
Director Brian Edmond has drawn together an utterly fabulous cast, who all bring their individual and diverse characters to life in hilarious fashion. Each actor gave strong and nuanced performances across the board. The sometimes witty and sometimes crass humour kept the audience smiling and laughing throughout the entire show.
‘Marian’ is a smorgasbord of entertainment: wall-to-wall jokes, strong and quirky characters, an abundance of action and fight scenes, and love in all its glory (be that queer love, straight love, lost love, self-love, and of course plenty of sex).
The play has a strong (and overtly obvious) theme of sexuality and gender identity, very cleverly approached through humour. Using such a well-known story as Robin Hood to tackle these important topics is a testament to the play’s writer, Adam Szymkowicz. It really is a genius way to address issues and ideas around gender and sexuality in a way that can easily appeal to a wide audience.
STAG has really done a fabulous job bringing ‘Marian’ to life, with a simple but effective set and lighting, fabulous costumes, and oodles of (very fun to watch) fight choreography.
If you want an entertaining night out a good laugh, definitely go and see ‘Marian’!
‘Marian or the True Tale of Robin Hood’ is on for a limited season at STAG from Thursday 21 August to Saturday 30 August 2025. With some shows already sold out, make sure to book in quickly to not miss out!
Keep an eye out for the fourth and final season for 2025 from STAG, ‘The Beaty Queen of Leenane’, directed by Matthew Freeman, with performances running from the 13th to the 22nd of November 2025.
To book tickets to Marian Or The True Tale of Robin Hood, please visit https://www.stagtheatre.org/.
Photographer: Dave Swann
