From the Bard to Brum By Diane Parkes
Matt Cardle and Sandra Marvin spent much of this year touring together on the hit show & Juliet and this Christmas they are reunited in the Birmingham Hippodrome pantomime Robin Hood. For both of the performers, who have built up strong musical theatre careers, Robin Hood is the first time they are stepping into the world of pantomime, in which they star alongside Christopher Biggins, Matt Slack, Gok Wan, Faye Tozer and Andrew Ryan. And for Matt Cardle the experience is even more of a novelty because he has never even watched a panto before. CONTINUED...
Robin Hood Cast.
“I am a panto virgin,” he laughs. “It’s mad but I’ve quite literally never seen a panto in 42 years. I don’t know how I’ve managed to do that but it’s something we never did as a family and I’m always away at Christmas or working.” Matt first shot to fame when he won the television talent show X Factor in 2010. His first single When We Collide reached number one and sold more than a million copies. Five years later he took on his first musical as DJ Huey Calhoun in the hit show Memphis alongside Wolverhampton’s Beverley Knight. Since then he has played Wally Strand in Strictly Ballroom, Pilate in Jesus Christ Superstar and Shakespeare in & Juliet. And it was working on those musicals which encouraged him to take on pantomime. “I have been thinking about if for a while and the more I did West End and the more shows I had under my belt, the more cast members I was talking to about panto because a lot of people I worked with were stepping out for the Christmas break to go and do panto. “And I got chatting to people and they were saying what fun it was and that you have an absolute scream doing it so I thought I’d give it a go.” Matt plays the show’s baddy - the evil Sheriff of Nottingham and he’s looking forward to hamming it up as the cast member everyone loves to hate. “If I’m being the bad guy I want to go all the way with it and become the very bad guy. I’ve been the villain once before, in Jesus Christ Superstar I played Pontius Pilate, and I very much enjoyed stepping into that villainous role and I think I will do the same thing with this. “So much of it will be feeding off the audience energy and reaction and I’m super-excited about that.” Matt is also a huge fan of the Robin Hood story. “I would have loved to have done the panto whatever it was, but I do love Robin Hood.”
“Now I can’t wait to give it a go. I’m excited about the thought of adlibbing because with all the shows I’ve done there is no room for that. You can, and we do as actors, give a different performance every show without fail but to have that little extra wiggle room to make each show that little bit more unique and fresh for yourself is really something I’m looking forward to.” Sandra also didn’t grow up watching panto but she has been making up for the lack in recent years. “I didn’t go to pantomime at all as a child, I went as an adult supporting friends because I loved it,” she says. “Panto is quite an institution. I love how they are an inherent part of British culture in the festive period and that’s through the generations – you take your kids, your kids enjoy it, the parents enjoy it, the grandparents enjoy it and there’s something for everyone. “I can’t imagine anyone leaving pantomime without a smile etched on their face from ear to ear and where we are nowadays we need to grab those moments of joy. To be able to bring people a moment of joy for two to three hours and for ever how long that pantomime glow lasts afterwards, what a privilege.” Sandra, who plays the Spirit of Sherwood, is also looking forward to returning to the Hippodrome stage. “I’ve been at the Hippodrome so many times, with Hairspray, Waitress and Sister Act and this year with & Juliet - and the audiences here are absolutely phenomenal,” she says. “They are so energetic. In & Juliet for example, they are very much a part of the show, the cast member who isn’t on stage, and that’s very much the same with panto. So to be here with that audience knowing how receptive and how much they enjoy theatre, I can’t wait. If I was going to be doing panto anywhere it would be here, I’m really grateful this is my panto debut.”
Sandra’s career also includes television having played Jessie Grant/Dingle in Emmerdale, film where she appeared in Florence Foster Jenkins and singing where she has performed alongside musicians including Kate Bush, Liam Gallagher and Michael Ball live and on recordings. And for a few years the Leicesterborn actress made Birmingham her home. “I used to live in Birmingham and the Hippodrome is the theatre where I feel I’m at home. There’s a definite family feel here and every time I come back I feel that. It’s the same faces, the same joy, which tells you what a family the Birmingham Hippodrome is.” Sandra is also delighted to be among a cast with decades of panto experience between them. “I always say there is something to learn from every job that you do and to learn from everyone,” she says. “There are people that inspire you in every element of the theatre both backstage and onstage. “And the people we have in our cast are real stellar pantomime treasures, I’m so excited to be joining them alongside Matt. There is a lot to learn and there will be a lot of fun all round. “There is nothing spared in this show, it’s going to be a real spectacle which will blow people’s minds and have people crying with laughter, I think it’s going to be a real event.”
Robin Hood plays Birmingham Hippodrome between 20 Dec - 1 Feb. For more information and tickets see birminghamhippodrome.com or call 0121 689 3000.
From rehearsal room to main stage:
Creating Motionhouse’s Curtain Raiser Performance In October 2025, a cast of 16 young people took to the stage to perform a Curtain Raiser performance ahead of Motionhouse’s latest thrilling dance-circus production, Hidden. 50 young people in our Hippodrome Education Network (HEN) and wider college outreach auditioned for the Curtain Raiser at the Hippodrome back in September. Taking part in a 90minute workshop-style audition, dancers showcased their skills and talent through a series of repertoire, choreographic tasks and team building exercises before the final company was chosen by Motionhouse’s Creative Learning Team, Harrison Yafai and Hannah Marshall.
Over the course of a week, the young company spent two days learning choreography by Harrison, whilst also implementing the young dancers’ own ideas and choreography into the piece. Working in alternating small groups, the company were able to choreograph their own work using ideas from skills class or a prescribed element or theme, such as a lift or jump. Then working with Associate Director, Daniel Massarella, the next two days were spent cleaning and polishing the five-minute piece ready for Friday’s performance.
The Curtain Raiser was met with rapturous applause and cheers, providing a goosebumps moment for both audience members and young performers.
Much like Motionhouse’s style, the piece had moments of strong group choreography that broke out into smaller groups, creating a concoction of contrasting movement and patterns. There were lifts and tricks throughout the piece, showcasing the talent of the next generation of performers.
“The Motionhouse team, but particularly Harrison and Danny, always bring out the best in young people, providing a safe, welcoming space for experimentation and exploration. I couldn’t be prouder of what this young company created in such a short amount of time!”
Reflecting on the performance, Craig Randle, Education Manager (Secondary & Post 16), said: “To work alongside Motionhouse and this incredible group of dancers was pure joy! The work ethic, professionalism and talent that was showcased across the week was second to none, doing both themselves and their respective schools/colleges proud!
your theatre g n i n e e r G experience
At Birmingham Hippodrome, our mission is to bring you that goosebumps feeling every time you attend something in our programme. We all love the magic of live performance, and with the climate changing around us, it’s important we play our part in protecting our environment. In the last few years, we have committed to following the sustainability guidance provided by Theatre Green Book, as well as keeping up the high environmental standards we have held ourselves to for more than a decade. This means we’re looking to make improvements to our building, food and drink, travel impact, energy, and the shows we produce.
Solar panels, English wines and beers, and recycling our old uniform are just a few of the ways we’re acting to reduce our impact on the environment. You can also spot other environmental projects around our spaces - like water fountains, staff separating food waste, and reusable plastic cups (please return at the end of the day!).
g Waste Reducing Printin
By coming to our productions you’re supporting an organisation that is making a healthier, cleaner, greener Birmingham a priority. You’re reading this booklet because you’ve chosen to travel to us in a more environmentally-friendly way today, which reduces emissions pollution and congestion in the city centre for everyone. Thank you for supporting us to become more sustainable!
Solar Powered Dance
87%
of tickets are e-tickets
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Home in the Hippodrome
which means
530,000
saving over a
tonne of paper,
tickets were paperless last year
building is partia lly powered by
solar panels
equivalent to
25 trees!
Sourcing Local Ingr edients
Ingredients in
The Circle Lounge
are sourced locally to cut transport emissions and support local growers
y Zero to Landfill Polic able Waste
Unrecycl e very facility to generat goes to an energy reco than to landfill electricity, rather
Recycling an d
Renewing
Hippodrome Te am Uniforms are recycled at end of use and made into fibre pelle ts for energy and ins renewable ulation
We’d love to hear what you think! Email us environment@birminghamhippodrome.com Delivered in partnership with ‘You. Smart. Thing.’ and Innovate UK, through the DCMS Create Growth Programme.