Panto season is back at Opera House Manchester- Oh, yes it is! This year, Robin Hood takes to the stage, but does it score the bullseye? Or does it close one eye, hope for the best, shoot and get lost in the hedge?  

Led by Opera House favourite, comedian and musical theatre star, Jason Manford as the title character, the green tights are donned and ready for what should be a night of festive frolics and tomfoolery. Supported by Britain’s Got Talent finalist and Opera House legend, Ben Nickless, our headliners are not only starring but have also penned the book alongside long-time collaborator, Harry Michaels.  

Billed as ‘A Magical Panto Adventure’, this Robin Hood seems to have its feathered cap pulled firmly over its eyes; it sadly lacks somewhat on all fronts.  

Pantomime plots are notoriously thin, but here we’re emaciated. The narrative simply doesn’t exist for the majority of the two-hour run time. As the Spirit of Sherwood, Landi Oshinowo does her best to stitch up the elusive story, but it’s akin to stitching sheets of tissue paper together with a knitting needle and string- with all the will in the world, it’s going to fall apart. Sarah Vaughan’s Maid Marion is often at the mercy of her captor- Adam Strong’s excellently villainous Sheriff of Nottingham- yet, in the same breath, she’s free to sing The Twelve Days of Christmas with the rest of the troupe before skulking back off to the dungeon to await her saviour. Somewhat frustratingly, when a smidgen of story does finally begin to unfold, it’s soon forgotten about and swept behind a tree trunk quicker than the script fires out cheap, sexual innuendos. Usually hidden under a thin veil of ‘wink, wink-nudge, nudge’, these quips are unashamedly brazen. So much so, they’re often cringe-inducing when sat in an audience of predominantly young families. This being said, our trip to Sherwood Forest isn’t a complete arrow to the funny bone- there are lots of genuine laughs to be had. Though, in 2025, some cheap shots are still fired to the detriment of minority groups: ‘Robin Hood and his Merry Them’… we can, and must, do better than this.  

With a main cast of just five (in comparison to this year’s seven for Crossroads Pantomimes’ Robin Hood at the Birmingham Hippodrome and nine at last year’s flagship London Palladium production), it’s clear to see that there’s been some deforestation damage here in Manchester. By the end of the first act, the forest clears and it becomes most apparent that you’re here to see a two-hander by Manford and Nickless, supported by their eager ensemble. The book is so deeply over-saturated with their material, it’s difficult for anybody else’s character to come anywhere close to fruition- highly unjust considering the small size of the cast. Add into this the frustrating meta universe that’s constantly alluded to, highlighting that we are, in fact, watching a pantomime starring themselves- it all becomes a touch self-indulgent and monotonous- undeniably talented as they are.  

The true heroes of the evening come in the form of Special FX by panto staples, The Twins FX. Without revealing too much, the act one finale is nothing short of spectacular. So much so, it sadly highlights the absence of spectacle throughout the rest of the production.  

Pantomime is a staple tradition for many during the festive period and, for those seeking a smattering of seasonal silliness, this could just satiate your Christmas theatre appetite. However, if this production were competing in an archery contest, it would shoot, miss the target, fly past the hedge and land at the feet of Snow White- who’ll hopefully have better aim next year.  

Robin Hood plays at Manchester’s Opera House until Sunday 4th January. Further information and booking details can be found here.

Tickets received in exchange for an honest review. #AD

Photography courtesy of the production.