⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “All arrows point to Birmingham Hippodrome this Christmas” – Small House Big Trips.
On at Birmingham Hippodrome until 1 Feb 2026, Robin Hood, The Magical Panto Adventure is the only pantomime that you need to see this year – bold, bright and bang on target.
There’s nothing quite like a trip to Birmingham Hippodrome at Christmas, and this year’s pantomime, Robin Hood, also shares a number of celebrations – it is Matt Slacks 12th consecutive year, Andrew Ryan is celebrating 39 years of panto and Christopher Biggins is celebrating his 60th panto!
As with every year, there’s a real buzz in the air as you walk into the theatre – excited children, grown-ups ready to laugh, and a sense that something special is about to happen.
Produced by Crossroads Pantomimes, Robin Hood is everything a family panto should be: colourful, high-energy, genuinely funny and bursting with warmth. It’s big, bold and brilliantly put together, with a cast that clearly love what they’re doing and that joy shines straight out into the audience. Each year the casting is great but I think this may be my personal favourite.
Leading the way is the rather wonderful Matt Slack, returning to the Hippodrome once again and proving exactly why he’s become such a firm favourite with Birmingham audiences. His Robin Hood is playful, quick-witted and completely in tune with the crowd. The laughs come thick and fast, the audience interaction is spot-on, and he keeps children and adults equally entertained throughout.
Gok Wan, returning to the Hippodrome where his pantomime journey began, is an absolute delight as Gok Scarlet. He brings warmth, charm and a huge sense of fun to the role, with plenty of moments that have parents laughing just as much as the kids. It’s clear how much he enjoys being on stage, and that energy is infectious. A real pantomime pro and I would love to see more of him on our local Birmingham stages.
As Maid Marion, Faye Tozer shines. Confident, glamorous and vocally strong, she brings a modern, empowering edge to the role while keeping all the traditional panto sparkle. There’s a scene with Matt Slack where they swap voices and it was brilliant.
Matt Cardle, making his pantomime debut as the Sheriff of Nottingham, throws himself into the role with real enthusiasm, delivering a villain everyone loves to boo (or even “ooo” in our section of the audience). It was nice to see him have opportunities to sing too – especially with his new album ‘The Great Escape’ coming soon in spring 2026.
Panto wouldn’t be panto without a Dame, and Andrew Ryan more than delivers as Henrietta Hood. His timing, audience rapport and joyful silliness provide some of the show’s biggest laughs with possibly my favourite ever costumes too – just look at this mushroom one. I am a huge fan of Andrew Ryan, he is a real delight to watch.
Sandra Marvin, as The Spirit of Sherwood, brings elegance to the stage. I would have loved to hear a little more of her stunning vocals (If I am being picky), while Christopher Biggins’ special appearance as King Richard had the audience giggling – followed by a lot of affection and applause.
As always with a Crossroads Pantomime the show is filled with stunning scenery, costumes and animatronics direct from The London Palladium. The type that make you as an adult say “wow” or as a 9 year old child like mine, say “that’s so sick!” This is the best compliment from children today.
We sat in the middle circle, and the view was fantastic – a clear, sweeping look at the entire stage, perfect for taking in the choreography, special effects and all the action.
The script is packed with modern-day references that really land with younger audiences – the “six-seven” moments had the kids in absolute giggles and totally engaged. Us grown-ups enjoy the adult jokes that fly over the children’s heads.
I don’t want to give too many spoilers as it’s great to see and experience yourself – so go book tickets!
Running at around two hours and fifteen minutes including an interval, Robin Hood flies by. There’s plenty of audience participation, laugh-out-loud comedy and magical moments that keep children excited from start to finish.
If you’re looking for a family outing that feels special, joyful and genuinely fun for the whole family, Robin Hood at Birmingham Hippodrome is a wonderful choice. A five-star festive treat that leaves everyone smiling and already planning next year’s panto – Sleeping Beauty.
Book your tickets to see Robin Hood, here: https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/robin-hood/
Disclaimer: I was invited along to the media night for Robin Hood. All thoughts and opinions are entirely my own.