Larry Blamire
Robin Hood
Boston, Baker's Plays, 1991 (pb); 130 pages
A fun and fast-moving play, with lots of action and lots of witty dialogue to tell the adventures of the outlaws and villians. Fans of the folk group Steel Eye Span would have fun presenting this one, as several of their selections are mentioned in the script.
Muriel Brown
Robin Hood, a Comedy in Five Scenes
Evanston, Ill., New York [etc.] Row, Peterson & Co.; 1930; 98 pages
Illustrated by Don Ament
Edited by Claude Merton Wise
A play designed for use by schoolchildren. Includes general instruction and philosophy of
presenting a play. The story has a few elements of the Paul Creswick version, including
characters such as the Sheriff's daughter and George of Gamwell.
J.R. Crawford
Robin of Sherwood: a Comedy in Three Acts
Yale Univ. Press , 1912; 150 pages
A play of Robin Hood's adventures as he and his Merry Men protect Maid Marian from a dreaded
marriage to the evil knight, Sir Hugh, and rescue Marian's brother Kenneth from the clutches of
Prince John.
Owen Davis
Robin Hood, or, The Merry Outlaws of Sherwood Forest: A Play in 3 Acts
1923, Samuel French; 75 pages
Robin and his gallant band share adventures with Marian and her loyal maid as they foil the plans of the evil Sheriff, Sir Guy, and their henchmen, while saving Marian from a forced marriage to Guy. Lots of great action and dialogue; would make an exciting performance.
Reginald De Koven
Robin Hood, A Comic Opera in 3 Acts
NY: G. Schirmer, 1919; 226 pages
Piano vocal score, libretto by Henry B. Smithgood
A musical with a variety of music and songs, with some editions having songs published
separately.
Laurabelle Dietrick
The Merry Ballads of Robin Hood
New York: Macmillan, 1931, 87 pages
Illustrated by Edna Reindel
A collection of the popular ballads, linked together with minstrel-style embellishments to tell the
story of Robin Hood. The illustrations are done in an old-woodcut fashion.
Moses Goldberg
The Outlaw Robin Hood
New Orleans, La. : Anchorage Press, 1980; (Copyright 1967. Revised 1978) 40 pages
ISBN: 0876021682
A one-act play with distinct social-consciousness overtones, set during the mid-1200's. Robin
Hood, villagers, and the scholarly lad Adam tangle with the Sheriff and his minions who twist and
abuse the law to suit their own ends. Robin, with the help of Adam, learns to pursue justice
through non-violent means and rely on rights guaranteed by the law (in this case, the Magna
Carta).
Sheila Lane
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood
Penquin Education; 1973; a "Take Part Book"; 1975; 63 pages (pbk.)
Illustrated by Hugh Marshall
ISBN: 0706234871
A reading play, with the parts written so that children at various levels of reading experience can all participate.
Jim Lees (editor)
The Ballads of Robin Hood
Cambridge; Limited Editions Club at the University Press; 1977; 206 pages
Illustrated by David Gentleman.
Loose cartoony illustrations, both in color and B&W. A collection of writings and ballads, several lesser-known ballads, such as the ballad of Robin's birth, in which Robin's father is Willie, an employee of Earl Richard, who elopes with the Earl's unnamed daughter. Another very less-known ballad is "Robin Hood's Leap", which details the relationship of the outlaw, from Chatsworth Wood, with his lady love, Kitty Ray, also called Kate. The title refers to the leap Robin makes across a river channel to both escape the Sheriff and rejoin Kate.
This book also includes the Little Geste, A True Tale of Robin Hood, and also the ballad of Robin Hood's Birth, Breeding, Valour , and Marriage. This last ballad is the same as in the Perkin's book, which Robin is the nephew of Guy Gamwell, born in Locksly, and falls for Clorinda, the queen of shepherdesses.
Scott Lynch-Giddings
A Fancyfull Historie of That Most Notable & Fameous Outlaw
Robyn Hood
Writers Club Press, 2001, 167 pages
ISBN: 0-595-18078-7
A play in five acts, telling the tale of Robin Hood with all the wit and derring-do expected of the legend. The script is presented from a unique viewpoint: what if William Shakespeare had written a play about Robin Hood? This play sucessfully captures the Elizabethan Bard's style, both in storytelling and dialogue. Plenty of action, romance, humor, heroes, villians, and a saucy maid or two!
If you would like to know more about this play and it's performance, check the website!
Anne Malcolmson
Song of Robin Hood
Houghton Mifflin Co., 1947; 2000; 123 pages
ISBN: 0618071865
Illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton
Music by Grace Castagnetta
Extensively researched collection of original ballads and songs. Even the lavish woodcut-style illuminations that accompany every verse were researched to accomodate English flora, fauna, and history. Gorgeous and a real find!
Charles G. Norris
A Gest of Robin Hood
San Francisco, Bohemian Club, the Recorder Printing and Publishing Co.; 1929; 92 pages
San Francisco, Grabhorn Press 1954: 1st; 96 pages
Music by Robert C. Newell
A musical in 3 acts. Robin Hood, with the help of King Richard, rescues Alan-a-dale's sweetheart
from a forced marriage.
Alfred Noyes
Sherwood (or, Robin Hood and the Three Kings)
New York, Frederick H. Stokes; 1911, 224 pages
A play in five acts. Alfred Noyes presents the tale of Robin Hood from the point of view of the Fairy Folk. Some inspiration seems to have been heavily derived from "A Midsummer Night's Dream." In this version, Queen Elinor contributes to the villiany as she plots with her son John to trap Robin Hood.
Lucy Fitch Perkins
Robin Hood: His Deeds and Adventures as Recounted in the Old English Ballads
Frederick A. Stokes, 1906
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1934
Illustrated by Lucy Fitch Perkins
A collection of the traditional ballads, told in ballad form, with no continuity of story. Some of the lesser-known stories are used. The first story is a retelling of how Robin of Locksley, nephew of Gamwell, did marry the fair Clorinda, queen of shepherdesses. The book concludes by telling the story of how Robin became a fisherman and defeated pirates in the English channel.
Ian Serraillier
Robin And His Merry Men
NY: Walck, 1969; 76 pages
Illustrated by Victor G. Ambrus
A good collection of the ballads.
Lee Shackson
Under the Greenwood Tree: A Robin Hood Operetta for Children
Lorenz Publishing Co., 1937; 15 pages.
Lyrics and Music Adapted from English Folk Song by Ellen Jane Lorenz
Brief adventure play with songs, with Robin Hood and the Merry Men rescuing a kindly woodcutter, foster father of the maiden Katherine, from the Sheriff's evil gamekeeper.
Adapted songs include "The Hunt is Up", "I Am a Jolly Huntsman", "The ballad of Robin Hood and Guy of Gisborne", "The Ballad of Robin Hood and Friar Tuck", "Who Liveth so Merry", "Trip and Go", "Under the Greenwood Tree", "The Ballad of the Hawthorn Tree", and "Adventure Is With Us."
Eleanor Louise Skinner
Tales and Plays of Robin Hood
American Book Company, New York, Cincinnati, Chicago; 1915
Illustrated by B. Westmacott
Robin Hood is the son of William Fizooth, the Saxon earl of Huntingdon, who's estate is robbed from him by Norman barons. A traditional collection of the ballads, and some poetry, with some of the ballads presented in play format. A closing page of notes has suggestions to teachers as to how to use the material in the book for classroom instruction.
The illustrations by Bernard Westmacott are collected at The Robin Hood Project.
Dave Wood
Robin Hood: A Musical Celebration
Samuel French, 1985; 47 pages
