Outlawed – Hull Truck Theatre

I might possibly need counselling after sitting through a performance of Outlawed, at the Hull Truck Theatre, on Wednesday night.

And I’ve only myself to blame for breaking my own lifetime golden rule and willingly “audience participating”.

I’ll never know what possessed me to roll a chunk of dry bread up into a ball and throw it at Robin Hood performing a heartfelt ballad on the stage.

Poor thing didn’t deserve it. Mind you, it’s a good job my theatre buddy sister, Chrissy, was more restrained and didn’t throw a large potato gifted earlier to her by the balladeer – now that would have hurt.

On second thoughts, I’m putting all the blame on my demise on to the four madcap performers acting out a night of burlesque, drag and comedy.

The intimate Godber Studio at Hull Truck was the setting for the production billed as The Robin Hood Drag Cabaret Comedy Spectacular.

In Hull for one night only, and presented by Nottingham-based theatre company Nonsuch Studios, Robin and their band of Merry Fools are happily causing havoc on this, their first national tour.

All the action takes place in The Major Oak, the hottest dive in Sherwood Forest. It’s 1142 (that’s the year, not the time), and the gang are in a party mood.

Robin (Hunter Manning), Maid Marian (Dora Gee), The Sheriff of Nottingham (AK Golding) and Friar Tuck’d (Lucinda B.Hind), together are an energetic force to be reckoned with.

On a stage setting that looked as if it had been constructed by a class of five-year-olds with the Major Oak tree taking centre stage in front of shiny red metallic strips hung like a curtain, the only other “prop” was a barrel with a plank of wood across its top.

But there were no electric drills in the year 1142, so all is forgiven.

The oak tree served both as the entrance and exit points for most of the show, which lasted for two-and-a-half hours including an interval.

Maid Marion ran her own, moderately successful, business selling among other things, cartons of Oakmilk.

Robin, meanwhile, ached to be taken seriously as a singer and a bower (or archer for those not in the know).

The dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham, back home after a sojourn (for wont of a better word) in Paris, wants to be part of the party gang, but their evilness resurfaces now and then in hilarious ways.

Then we have the Godly Friar Tuck’d, who quotes from the Bible while living a very unbiblical life.

As is historically usual in this tale of yore, we would expect Marion and Robin to show their love for each other, with at least a kiss. But no, Robin, shock, horror, decides upon a solo career, leaving the lovely maiden distraught.

What follows before the will they, won’t they patch things up scenario is nothing short of ridiculous – but in a fun way that elicited continuous laughter from the audience.

And I thoroughly enjoyed every bit of music that accompanied events on stage with a soundtrack that included music by Elvis, Madonna, Britney, Michael Jackson, Elaine Page, Barbara Dickson and Shirley Bassey to name just a few.

It’s here I must mention Dora Gee’s amazing singing voice as Maid Marion. It doesn’t surprise me to read she had been nominated for The Stage Debut Award 2025 Best Actor in a Musical.

Manning, as Robin, knew exactly how to garner sympathy from the audience who were taken in by the hangdog look on the famous outlaw’s face. Dressed in green, of course, with eyeshadow to match, he danced, sang, played his instrument and, generally, behaved – unlike others I could mention.

Oh, okay, I will name and shame the rowdy ones – take a bow Friar Tuck’d and The Sheriff of Nottingham.

Lucinda B.Hind as the monk had the bulk of the production’s costume budget, with impossibly high heel sparkly footwear and daring, flesh-revealing costumes to match.

Silver eyeshadow and lipstick completed the look.

Their energy knew no bounds while strutting around, singing, dancing and generally being naughty.

AK Golding as the Sheriff was the most amusing cast member on the night, with their French accent and comical moves keeping us laughing for the duration. She also had the most foul language in the show, spoken in a way that had us in stitches.

After the interval, we saw a change of scenery – a table and chair appeared, with Friar Tuck’d dressed as a nun seated and drinking wine while lip-syncing, badly, to the Shirley Bassey tune, It Must Be Him.

In a night of oddness, another madcap scene had the four performing Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

But by this time in proceedings, nothing would have surprised me.

It’s difficult to describe the shenanigans in Outlawed, except to say the four talents managed to perform nonsensical events in such a way that, amazingly, we never lost track of where we were – in Robin Hood’s Sherwood Forest (with a second half foray into Derby).

All four entertained us, as well as themselves, in a memorable evening of fun, frolics and high jinks.

Recommended age 16+

Reviewer: Jackie Foottit

Reviewed: 22nd October 2025

North West End UK Rating: