Spotlight on: Looking Good, Robin Hood!

Looking Good, Robin Hood is fast becoming one of our most popular school musicals – but what makes it so fantastic? In this article, we’re putting the spotlight on this school favourite, including what this primary school musical is all about and what students can learn from it. Get your bow and arrow at the ready, and let’s jump in!

Looking Good, Robin Hood Overview

Spoilers ahead!

So, what’s Looking Good, Robin Hood all about? This musical details the tyranny of the Sheriff, who enforces high taxes on his people in Nottingham. Robin of Loxley and his comrades return to the town from the Crusades to discover that the Sheriff has even imprisoned his father. After confronting the Sheriff, Robin decides to take action, teaming up with Marian and a group of outlaws to fight back.

After teaching the outlaws how to charm wealthy people into giving money, the Sheriff starts to impose even more ridiculous taxes. Together, Robin and the outlaws disrupt the Sheriff’s birthday ball disguised as musicians, demanding the Sheriff to change his ways. The Sheriff refuses, but Robin’s father is freed, and they together prepare to take back Nottingham. This sets things up nicely for the final showdown as Robin and the outlaws fight to restore justice to their town. 

The Making of the Musical

We were very keen to do this classic story justice whilst putting our own twist on this legend. We wanted the Sheriff to be as awful as he is typically portrayed and Robin to be heroic, but also, we took the opportunity to introduce some really fun roles, such as the Tax Collectors and the Wise Women. We made Maid Marian the leader of the Outlaws and wanted her to be very much her own person with no interest in romance! 

Joe and Krista wrote the initial outline of the story together and considered where they wanted songs and what those songs should be about. Joe then wrote the music, considering key words and where he wanted the story to progress during each song before Krista added the lyrics. When writing the script, Krista focused on the Sheriff's scenes first, knowing that these would be the main comedic moments. She decided Robin would have just returned, with his fellow crusaders, from fighting abroad and quickly persuades the Outlaws to fight back against the Sheriff's tyranny.

Krista and Joe discuss ideas continuously but write separately and critique each other's work rigorously! 

Krista's favourite scene is the last one when you think the Sheriff is going to change his ways, but he is adamant he wants to remain just the way he is. Joe’s favourite scene is right before the interval where Robin discovers a new name, and which then leads into the first ‘Robin Hood’ song.

What Can We Learn from Looking Good, Robin Hood?

As well as being fun to perform, there’s plenty to be learned from this KS2 school musical, including vital morals and values.

• Hope

Hope is a key theme in this musical, mainly seen in the people of Nottingham. The townspeople always have faith that their community will change through their collective efforts, even in spite of the Sheriff’s refusal to change. This helps teach schoolchildren that change is possible when we work together to find a better future, best described in the song ‘Hope’.

• Courage

Courage is one of the dominant themes in this musical, embodied in the characters of Robin and the outlaws when they fight to bring justice to their town. While fighting isn’t always the answer, children can learn that standing up for what they believe in is the right thing to do, even when they feel fear.

• Teamwork

The theme of teamwork is woven throughout the narrative, predominantly shown in Robin’s collaboration with Marian and the outlaws. When working together and forming bonds of friendship, the characters become stronger and are able to succeed in their common goal. Listen to ‘Outlaws’ for a flavour of what this friendly bunch has in store for you:

• Empathy

Marian’s compassion for the community suffering in Nottingham exemplifies the importance of empathy. Marian reassures the townspeople and encourages them to hold onto hope, demonstrating that caring for others and showing kindness are crucial in times of crisis.

• Social justice

Another key theme to consider when staging this school musical is social justice and the importance of rising up against unjust authority. This is seen when Robin and the outlaws fight against the Sheriff’s oppressive taxation. Check out the song ‘The Time Has Come’, which thoroughly embodies this theme:

Who Should Purchase Looking Good, Robin Hood?

Looking Good, Robin Hood is a wonderfully heroic musical designed for schoolchildren aged 7-11. It includes an excitement-packed script, loveable, well-known characters, and ten memorable songs to engage even those who struggle to focus.

• KS2 classes

The show spans 60 minutes, making it the perfect length for older primary school students, who can typically concentrate for longer periods than those in Key Stage 1 (KS1). This length provides sufficient detail in the narrative without dragging on for too long!

• Large groups

Also, remember to consider your cast size. The cast size for Looking Good, Robin Hood ranges from 20 to 50+ students, and there are 37 speaking roles. Be mindful that some of your students may not feel confident enough to speak in front of an audience, so ensure you choose a group with plenty of students willing to take on these speaking roles.

• Those with plenty of time

Our very own Tom and Matt recommend putting in a term’s worth of rehearsal time into this play, so you need to be able to have the time to practice at least twice a week. If you can commit to this, you’re good to go!

• Those who like our songs!

Before you purchase, don’t forget to take a look at some of this musical’s toe-tapping songs. Check out the song that kicks off the whole musical below, ‘Nottingham’:

Ready to Put on a Show to Remember?

So, there you have it! Looking Good, Robin Hood could well be the musical to help your Year Six students say goodbye in style or put a unique spin on a regular end-of-term nativity. Whenever you want to put on this musical, you can guarantee that it will help your students shine in all things drama!

If you’re still finding it tricky to choose the perfect musical, don’t forget to check out our Spotlights on The Wizard of Oz, Oliver with a Twist, and Pantastic for more insights!

Have a query about our musical adaptations? Please reach out to us today.