Damsels in distress step aside, there’s a new bandit in town, and she’s got the tights to prove it.A humourous retelling of the classic tale Robin Hood Redux: There Will Be Tights incorporates a female heroine who, with a little help from her merry band of women, must rescue her love and defend the kingdom of Sherbrook, all in a day’s work.
In this light-hearted parody, written and directed by Montreal-based playwright Tali Brady, Robin steals from the rich and gives to the poor with a stylish charm all her own.
The play originally debuted at Montreal Fringe in 2008, and is being remounted at MainLine Theatre on Nov 30. Production for the show began in October and features an intimate cast of nine, including a cameo by the director.
The play begins in the Queendom of Sherbrook, which is at risk of being taken over by the evil Princess Eileen, along with her fellow conspirators Lord Fang and the Sheriff. Rachel, the rightful ruler, is away at war and only Robin Hood stands between Eileen and her sinister plan to kidnap and force Lord Marion to marry her.
Brady sees the show as a comedy that doesn’t have to adhere to specific structures. “The main objective is to entertain,” she said. Brady calls it “anachronistic,” accepting that like most folktales, historical accuracy isn’t the main focus.
Upon writing the play, Brady designed many of the roles with cross-casting in mind. “I just wanted to create some female characters I enjoyed. I read a play sometimes and I want to play all the men and none of the women.”
She also included characters who could be played by either men or women. “I find there are always way more women auditioning then men. Also, I thought it would be more fun to switch it around,” she said.
It was especially important to Brady that the show convey a message of empowerment. “One of the main themes is to stand up for what you believe in. It’s about people asserting themselves and learning to do so.”
Having done several productions of the play before, she enjoys watching the show change each time. “I always want to see what the actors bring to it, because if you’re too attached to an idea, you might not get to see how it might unfold otherwise. It’s definitely collaborative.”
As both playwright and director, she feels very grounded in her knowledge of the show. “I
guess I have a lot more insight into the characters since I made them,” she said. When casting, she looked for attitude as well as talent. “It was important to me to have actors who wanted to listen and engage.”
Franco de Crescentis is a first-year theatre performance student at Concordia and plays the Sheriff of Sherbrook. He was drawn to the show primarily because “it’s something new and
interesting.” De Crescentis calls the play “funny, short and sweet” and would happily recommend it to anyone.
Set designer Michael Panich, a Concordia grad, worked on a small budget to create a playful design. “We do most of our supply shopping at the Dollarama,” said Brady. She said they tried to create something “a little cartoony with an old time medieval flavour.”
Overall, Brady hopes audiences will find the show as much fun as she does. “The cast is excellent, they are such fun to watch. It’s just a wacky good time.”
In this light-hearted parody, written and directed by Montreal-based playwright Tali Brady, Robin steals from the rich and gives to the poor with a stylish charm all her own.
The play originally debuted at Montreal Fringe in 2008, and is being remounted at MainLine Theatre on Nov 30. Production for the show began in October and features an intimate cast of nine, including a cameo by the director.
The play begins in the Queendom of Sherbrook, which is at risk of being taken over by the evil Princess Eileen, along with her fellow conspirators Lord Fang and the Sheriff. Rachel, the rightful ruler, is away at war and only Robin Hood stands between Eileen and her sinister plan to kidnap and force Lord Marion to marry her.
Brady sees the show as a comedy that doesn’t have to adhere to specific structures. “The main objective is to entertain,” she said. Brady calls it “anachronistic,” accepting that like most folktales, historical accuracy isn’t the main focus.
Upon writing the play, Brady designed many of the roles with cross-casting in mind. “I just wanted to create some female characters I enjoyed. I read a play sometimes and I want to play all the men and none of the women.”
She also included characters who could be played by either men or women. “I find there are always way more women auditioning then men. Also, I thought it would be more fun to switch it around,” she said.
It was especially important to Brady that the show convey a message of empowerment. “One of the main themes is to stand up for what you believe in. It’s about people asserting themselves and learning to do so.”
Having done several productions of the play before, she enjoys watching the show change each time. “I always want to see what the actors bring to it, because if you’re too attached to an idea, you might not get to see how it might unfold otherwise. It’s definitely collaborative.”
As both playwright and director, she feels very grounded in her knowledge of the show. “I
guess I have a lot more insight into the characters since I made them,” she said. When casting, she looked for attitude as well as talent. “It was important to me to have actors who wanted to listen and engage.”
Franco de Crescentis is a first-year theatre performance student at Concordia and plays the Sheriff of Sherbrook. He was drawn to the show primarily because “it’s something new and
interesting.” De Crescentis calls the play “funny, short and sweet” and would happily recommend it to anyone.
Set designer Michael Panich, a Concordia grad, worked on a small budget to create a playful design. “We do most of our supply shopping at the Dollarama,” said Brady. She said they tried to create something “a little cartoony with an old time medieval flavour.”
Overall, Brady hopes audiences will find the show as much fun as she does. “The cast is excellent, they are such fun to watch. It’s just a wacky good time.”
Robin Hood Redux: There Will Be Tights opens Nov. 30 and runs until Dec. 4. Tickets are $12 for students. For more information visit http://www.mainlinetheatre.ca/en/spectacles/robin-hood-redux-there-will-be-tights.
