The Heart of Robin Hood
at La Habra

Reviewed on April 28, 2017

Amanda Rooker
San Juan Hills High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

La Habra Delivers ‘Robin Hood' With Heart
by Amanda Rooker, a senior ,at San Juan Hills High School
for the OC Register

Desperate to escape confining castle walls, Marion (Katie Ludlam), the daughter of the Duke of York, flees in search of legendary Robin Hood (Wyatt Logan). However, instead of a philanthropic fugitive that folklore had told of, she finds a self-seeking brute and decides to form her own moral gang. In an altercation of turf, the two must either fight to death for sole right to the forest or team together to save an ailing kingdom threatened by corrupt power.

With passion and panache, La Habra's production of ‘The Heart of Robin Hood' presents a bold reimagining of the world's most noble outlaw, redefining heroism and speaking truth to the power of love.

With a forceful gait and reverberating roar, Wyatt Logan exudes unrefined strength as Robin Hood. He expertly displays his character's complexity as well, struggling to surrender his ruffian creed to save innocent lives. His vulnerability is made overt in his enamored gazes at Marion, and his determination to save the blameless children of a tax-evading citizen exemplifies his budding empathy.

Katie Ludlam astounds as well in her portrayal of Marion. Charging into forceful sword fights and screaming in fits of desperation, Ludlam shows that strength and feminine flare can go hand-in-hand. She easily fluctuates between her male alter ego, Martin of Sherwood, and maid Marion—altering a deepened voice and firm stature with grace and poise. She delivers a tear-jerking performance as well when her spark of tenacity is momentarily dimmed; to save her kingdom she is forced into submission by her menacing fiancé Prince John (Michael Reehl).

The picture of chilling villainy, Reehl commands the stage with a pompous laugh and power hungry disposition. With his head held high, Reehl smells the air and his victims, a comedic yet spine-tingling idiosyncrasy.

Praise is also due to set design by La Habra Technical Crew for their multifaceted set, both creative and practical. The raked set allows actors to slide down a hill-like slope, generating a woodland atmosphere. It is complete with metal railings that become climbable trees and castle walls.

With unwavering fervor, La Habra High School's masterful performance of "The Heart of Robin Hood" establishes that no feat is truly insurmountable when a little love, compassion, and a band of merry men are involved.

Alex Theologides-Rodriguez
University High School
Submitted for publication to OC Varsity Arts

La Habra's 'Robin Hood' is Wild and Adventurous
by Alex Theologides-Rodriguez, a junior, at University High School
for the OC Register

La Habra High School's "The Heart of Robin Hood" is a vivid spectacle, filled with interesting characters and a palpable sense of adventure.

The mysterious rogue Robin Hood is played by Wyatt Logan, always with a wide, battle-ready stance and a booming voice with a Scottish accent. His onstage presence is powerful and he has a cold scowl that is only warmed by his Merry Men, and later by Marion.

Marion, played by Katie Ludlam, is a force to be reckoned with onstage, especially when masquerading as the noble outlaw "Martin of Sherwood". Ludlam broadens her shoulders and lowers her voice, but her wide, expressive eyes show what Marion is really thinking.

The costumes resemble drawings from Medieval storybooks, and they effectively represent their characters' personalities. Marion's stubbornness keeps her costumes practical, while Alice's flamboyance leads to flashy outfits with vibrant colors. Prince John is dressed in darker, sinister tones. The frightening henchman Guy of Gisborne wears a "horsehair coat", complete with a dead horse's head worn as a trophy. Robin Hood and his Merry Men wear dark sleeveless vests and black gloves, giving them a dangerous and roguish appearance.

The stage is grassy and sloped, representing the hills of Sherwood, with metal scaffolds on both sides used as tree branches as well as the castle walls of York. In the forest scenes, mixed shades of green light shine through the bars of the scaffolds like sunlight through foliage. When paired with the dense fog effects onstage, this lighting is muted and gives the Sherwood Forest scenes a sense of natural wonder.

Juliet Parker performs live sound effects and ambient noise: everything from birds tweeting and rain falling in the forest to the sinister autoharp playing when villains enter, all timed perfectly and creating an atmosphere of wonder.

Hannah Rhode is delightfully pompous as Marion's sister Alice, stretching out her vowels and curling her lips into an awkward grimace. She flirts relentlessly with Prince John, clinging to him cackling wildly.

Joshua Bates steals the show as Pierre, the sarcastic and quick-witted clown. He bumbles around in his fat suit and makes snarky remarks to the audience, but when Marion is threatened, his expression softens and he shows how much he really cares.

"The Heart of Robin Hood" is an intense and engaging fable with passionate performers and a brilliant sense of adventure.

Ian Dembek
Yorba Linda High School
Submitted for publication to OC Cappies Facebook Page

The Heart of La Habra
by Ian Dembek, a junior, at Yorba Linda High School
for the OC Cappies Facebook

La Habra's "The Heart of Robin Hood" is out-of-this-kingdom exceptional, from the spirited imagination of the technical designers and crew to the sensational rendering of the show by the performers.

This show goes a bit outside the lines of the typical Robin Hood story. Robin Hood is portrayed as a common thief, as he and his band of Merry Men rob nobles and keep everything for themselves. The selfishness all ends when Marion, a princess, wins his heart. Embedded in this love story is a Shakespearean-style comedy, with layers of battle, adventure, and disguise.

Katie Ludlam and Wyatt Logan, portraying Marion and Robin Hood respectively, work together harmoniously to create a suspenseful love story, making the ending kiss increasingly satisfying. Ludlam exerts her power effectively to show that Marion is equally as strong as any man can be, and Logan utilizes his strength to enhance the more tender moments in the show.

Joseph Cobian and Justine Sombilon portraying Jethro and Sarah Summers, the children of a poor man that was wrongfully executed by the nobles, team up to skillfully detail the struggles of the working class against nobility. Through most of the show, Sombilon's character does not speak; however, the inner struggle and journey through woes and defeat is vividly apparent in Sombilon's facial expressions and body movements.

Of course there would be no show without the technical designers and crew. La Habra's Theatre 3 class creates all of the technical aspects for the show. The costumes are vastly contrasting and unique for each character. Prince John, the villain, has very dark and metallic costumes accented with reds, while Robin Hood and the Merry Men are in woodsy-type clothing accented with greens. The costumes also effectively show the contrast between the upper and lower classes.

The set is extraordinarily versatile, using hidden and trap doors. The set consists of a risen structure layered with turf and multiple metal scaffolds that can shift inside the grass as the actors need lending itself to a greater understanding as to where each scene takes place, while still allowing for imagination. The sound effects are all performed live using multiple household items, such as a bicycle tire. All of the technical elements marry together with great splendor.

La Habra's "The Heart of Robin Hood" goes outside the walls of the kingdom to show that love knows no boundaries.