TheatreUNI has proudly launched their first show of the season “Marian or The True Tale of Robin Hood,” a swashbuckling comedy written by Adam Szymkowicz. It is a hilarious new take on the classic folk tale of the heroic outlaw. The story is centered around Maid Marian, who leads a motley group of Merry Men (few of whom are actually men) against the greedy Prince John, under the vigilante persona of “Robin Hood,” set during the period of Medieval England in the kingdom of Nottingham and Sherwood Forest.
Will Hickman, head of the Department of Theatre and director of the play, landed on Szymkowicz’s adaptation because it has been over 122 years since the University of Northern Iowa had produced a Robin Hood show, serving as a big inspiration for this adventurous production.
Hickman said this particular playscript stands out from other adaptations on the iconic merrymen “We were looking for a show that would be engaging and exciting for our audience, that would be educationally important,” he said. “It’s a play about freedom, it’s a play about identity, it’s a play that celebrates love in many different forms and at the end of the day, it’s a fun play to work on, it’s a fun play to come see.”
Szymkowicz’s script delves deeply into gender roles, sexuality, and identity without focusing on the trauma that many of these kinds of stories tend to highlight. Instead, it chooses to focus on triumphing over oppression and tragedy, by utilizing comedy to format the plot. From sweet romantic chemistry to hilariously delivered dialogue, the blend between humor and romance is certainly capable of making any audience member smile delightfully. A sense of escapism is present but never strays far away from the human connection that it will have on theatregoers since the characters are the focal point of this farcical journey.
When it came to structuring stage combat, Jason Tipsword was called upon as stage combat consultant to prepare the actors for the fight scenes to maintain safety and camaraderie during their swift movement. Tipsword utilized aspects of Filipino martial arts for Hickman’s fight choreography, due to his background experience in Olympic-style fencing and European swordplay with a specialization in 16th and 17th-century dueling as well as an associate membership within the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society of America.
The show embodies the feeling that the season of autumn brings given that costume designer Hannah Pratt wanted to represent the change and growth, both in the concept of fall and through the development that the characters go through, in a more grounded tone. Pratt’s approach to the design came from the idea of using natural colors for the costumes to give this production an earthlier look to the stage over the traditionally flashier colors normally associated within Robin Hood media. Combined with scenic designer Mark Parrott’s commitment to authentic medieval period sets, the show gracefully paints Nottingham and Sherwood Forest in a nostalgic manner that is reminiscent of classic adventure serials of the old Hollywood era.
Senior Jonah Hindt, in his final stage role for TheatreUNI as Little John, expresses that the best thing to come from the actor’s experience is being able to interact with the majority of the cast in a wholesome, comedic way. Hindt states how he also enjoyed working with the director and assistant director Briley Larson on finding the difference between depth and simpleness in his performance and learning how subtle, surface emotions can carry just as much weight as deeper ones.
Portraying Alanna is sophomore Audrey Ruff, who said that the audience will step into an unfamiliar world and notice characters such as Alanna taking a huge risk for something they believe in. “Whether it’s standing up for yourself, expressing your identity, or learning to take up space, Alanna’s journey captures that feeling of becoming who you truly are,” Ruff said
TheatreUNI presents a tale that is unapologetically heartfelt and bold, incorporating stories that do not have to stay stuck in the past, honoring classic tales while reshaping them to include anyone, if not everyone. “Marian or The True Tale of Robin Hood” will continue its run through Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 at 7:30 p.m. and will have its final performance on Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. at the Strayer-Wood Theatre.
