Throbbin’ Wood

I’ll be honest…

I’d had a pretty shit week.

Work had been hectic, life had thrown a few curveballs, and I’d just come out of hospital after a procedure. By Friday night I wasn’t looking for deep and meaningful theatre. I just wanted to switch my brain off for a couple of hours.

So Clay and I headed to the Regal Theatre to see Throbbin’ Wood.

Now here’s another confession…

I’d never seen a pantomime before.

In fact, if you’d asked me what one actually was before that night, I couldn’t have told you.

Thankfully, the Regal Theatre does a brilliant job of preparing first timers for what’s about to happen. Before the curtain even goes up, the audience is introduced to the traditions of pantomime. When to cheer. When to boo. When to yell back. What to expect.

I found myself people watching almost as much as I was listening.

Everyone had that same curious look on their faces.

Then I looked at Clay.

“What on earth have we walked into?”

About five minutes later…

We got it.

And we were laughing.

A lot.

Zealous Productions has taken the classic Robin Hood story and completely turned it on its head for its first ever adults only pantomime. Written by renowned UK pantomime writer Tom Whalley, it’s packed with live music, outrageous characters, audience participation and enough cheeky innuendo to make sure this is definitely a night out for the grown ups.

This show is one giant pi$$take.

And that’s exactly why it works.

It doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

The jokes come thick and fast, the audience becomes part of the action, and just when you think they’ve pushed things as far as they can…

They push them a little bit further.

Leading the merry madness is Charles Sherrington as Throbbin’ Wood. He has that natural ability to command a room without ever looking like he’s trying too hard. He’s charming, cheeky and keeps the audience with him every step of the way.

Elethea Sartorelli brings warmth, sass and fantastic comic timing to Maid Marian. She has wonderful chemistry with Charles and together they keep the ridiculous story moving while everything around them descends into glorious chaos.

Then there’s Rachel Monamy as Fairy Glitterous.

Every entrance felt like an event.

She had me smiling before she’d even spoken. Her timing is brilliant, her energy is infectious and she completely embraces the wonderfully over-the-top nature of the show.

Chris Gerrish as Nanny Fanny absolutely commits.

Actually… that’s an understatement.

He throws absolutely everything into the role and the audience rewards him with some of the biggest laughs of the night. His physical comedy is outstanding, his expressions are priceless and his commitment never wavers.

And then…

There’s Blake Jenkins.

No spoilers from me.

Half the fun is discovering Triar F#%k for yourself, and trust me, when that moment arrives, you’ll understand exactly why I’m refusing to say any more.

One of the things I loved most was watching the cast enjoy themselves.

Every single performer looked like they genuinely wanted to be there. That kind of energy is contagious, and before long the audience was just as invested as the people on stage.

It’s impossible not to acknowledge the work happening behind the scenes as well. Director Vincent Hooper, Producer Dixie Farinosi, Choreographer Shenae White, the live band and the entire creative team have created a production that somehow feels beautifully organised while embracing complete theatrical chaos.

The show runs for around one hour and forty five minutes with one intermission, but honestly, it didn’t feel anywhere near that long. Between the laughter, the audience interaction and the constant surprises, the time simply disappeared.

Walking back to the car afterwards, I realised something.

I’d walked into the theatre carrying the weight of one of those weeks where everything feels hard.

I walked out lighter.

Smiling.

Still laughing about moments from the show.

Sometimes that’s exactly what theatre is supposed to do.

If you’ve never seen a pantomime before, don’t let that put you off.

It certainly didn’t stop me.

Just leave the kids at home, take your sense of humour and be prepared to join in.

You’ll thank me later.

From the moment the Band of Horny Men burst onto the stage, there was an unmistakable buzz in the theatre. You could feel the excitement from the audience before a single joke had landed, and I had a feeling we were in for a very entertaining night.

What followed was two hours of riotous laughter, outrageous innuendo and wonderfully unapologetic slapstick comedy. Zealous Productions have already built a phenomenal reputation with Perth audiences through their annual Christmas pantomimes, and after seeing Throbbin Wood, it’s easy to understand why. Their formula of audience interaction, fast-paced comedy and fearless performances has become something audiences genuinely look forward to. If this cheeky little production is anything to go by, I’d love to see them continue expanding this style of theatre alongside their Christmas offerings.

One of the greatest strengths of this production is its company. Every performer throws themselves wholeheartedly into the madness, creating an ensemble that never loses energy. As someone who has worked alongside several members of this cast—and admired many others from the audience—it was wonderful to see such a rich collection of Perth talent sharing the stage.

Charles Sherrington leads the charge as the titular Throbbin Wood, tackling the role with charm, confidence and great comic timing. At times, however, it was difficult to fully appreciate some of his dialogue—not through any fault of his own—but because the audience was so enthusiastically shouting suggestions, wolf-whistling and encouraging him to “take off his tights!” That’s pantomime for you, and in many ways it’s a testament to how invested the audience became in the performance.

Elethea Sartorelli was delightfully funny as the sultry Maid Marion, embracing the cheekiness of the role while never sacrificing character. She played beautifully off the audience, earning plenty of laughs throughout the evening.

For me, one of the standout performances came from Blake Jenkins as the unforgettable Triar F@ck. Every entrance seemed to raise the stakes, his tunic and his commitment to the comedy had the audience gasping between fits of laughter.

Another audience favourite was Sam Moloney as Silly Willy, whose brilliantly timed call-and-response moments had the entire theatre gleefully yelling, “F@ck off, Willy!” It was one of those wonderful examples of audience participation that only works when the performer has complete control of the room—and Sam absolutely did.

While the cast all sing and dance throughout the production, I’d be remiss not to acknowledge dancers Shenae White, Will Basson and Shoreina Pereira. Their choreography was executed with precision, confidence and undeniable stage presence. They combined style, elegance and plenty of sex appeal without ever overshadowing the comedy. In fact, their reactions and physical storytelling often became punchlines in themselves, adding another layer of humour to an already energetic production.

As a performer myself, I’m always thrilled to see a live band on stage. It instantly elevates the atmosphere and gives a production an energy that’s difficult to replicate with prerecorded tracks. The three musicians weren’t simply accompaniment—they became part of the world of the show, embracing their own characters and contributing to the comedy throughout the night. It was an absolute joy to watch.

Technically, opening night inevitably comes with a few hurdles, and this performance was no exception. There were a handful of sound issues during the evening, but what impressed me most was the professionalism of the cast and crew. They never allowed those moments to derail the performance, continuing with confidence and ensuring the audience remained immersed in the fun.

The lighting design also deserves recognition, particularly during one unforgettable “Solid Gold” sequence… although perhaps “not-so-solid gold” might be more accurate! I’ll avoid spoiling the joke, because it’s one of those moments that’s far funnier when experienced firsthand.

Perhaps the biggest compliment I can pay this production is how wholeheartedly the audience embraced it. Everywhere you looked, people were screaming responses, laughing uncontrollably and throwing themselves into the pantomime tradition. At one point the patrons sitting behind us sounded as though they might lose their voices altogether. It’s exactly the kind of communal theatre experience this genre thrives upon.

If you’re looking for subtle humour, this probably isn’t your show.

If you’re looking for clever innuendo, outrageous characters, brilliantly timed slapstick and an evening where laughter is practically guaranteed, then Throbbin Wood absolutely delivers.

It’s packed with outstanding local talent, terrific vocals, infectious energy and enough cheeky humour to leave your face hurting from smiling.

The season is incredibly limited, so don’t walk…

RUN!

Grab your tickets while you still can. This is one very naughty night at the theatre that’s well worth experiencing.