It’s a beautiful day in Trout Lake for Robin Hood and the Merry-Thems—or it should have been! Alas, the naughty Sheriff has other plans—the parks have been privatized! Everyone, including the birds and animals, must pay to use the park. A trip to the library to read up on their rights leads Robin and friends on a grand adventure to invade Britannia, retrieve the keys to the city’s public amenities, and try to steal back our neighbourhood from the rich and powerful.

Since its inception in 2013, Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto has become a cherished holiday tradition for Vancouver audiences, filling the York Theatre with its playful and localized retellings of classic tales. “The experiment of the East Van Panto is to take a classic story—and one that perhaps has some problematic things about it—and turn it on its head by placing it smack dab in the East Van community,” says Theatre Replacement’s Artistic Director Maiko Yamamoto. “That always leads to a lot of fun, silly antics—poking fun at ourselves and finding a place for us to tell our own stories.

Director Anita Rochon and writing duo Jiv Parasram and Christine Quintana, the team that created last year’s East Van Panto: Beauty and the Beast, return to the helm for Robin Hood. “I loved what they created last year,” says Rochon about Parasram and Quintana. “They infused the show with so many great local references and politics, but at the center, it had this real heart. They both live in East Van. They both love this place.”

Most of the cast from 2023’s Beauty and the Beast will return. Jason Sakaki takes on this year’s antagonist, Prince Ken. Munish Sharma is Robin’s loyal sidekick, and Little Jaan and audience favourites Steffanie Davis and Mark Chavez are also back. Joining these returning cast members, the titular character of Robin Hood is played by Hayley Sullivan, who makes their Panto debut this season.

As always, local legend Veda Hille will contribute her signature music parodies, transforming everything from rock ballads to opera classics into witty, unforgettable tunes. Amanda Testini will once again bring her playful choreography, and all of the designers from last year are returning: costumes by Alaia Hamer, scenic illustrations by Cindy Mochizuki, set design by Lauchlin Johnston, lighting design by Sophie Tang, and sound design by Brad Danyluk. Together, this incredibly talented team will bring the timeless legend of Robin Hood into modern-day East Van.

“The underlying themes in the original Robin Hood are very political,” says Maiko Yamamoto. “steal from the rich to give to the poor—so be assured that class struggles will be inside this year’s Panto. But as always, handled with fun, irreverence and a bit of weirdness too!”