The Merry Men are in serious trouble. Everyone is sick bar Marian and Will, off visiting family. Desperate for help, Marian goes to Herne and discovers the Lady of the Well is angry with the Merry Men. But why? Who has poisoned her against them? And what can she and Will do to save their friends?

Jennifer Ash’s script gives Maid Marian her decades overdue moment in the spotlight and it’s as much fun to listen to as it seems to have been to record. Judi Trott is superb as Marian, grounded and pragmatic, kind and perceptive and a very different kind of heroine for a story like this. In truth, she’s the exact heroine that this sort of story cries out for and Trott carries the story with determination and ease. The closing act especially is fantastic as she literally talks for the lives of her friends with the Lady of the Well.

There’s a lot to enjoy here in particular, both in the performances and writing and in the casting. TV presenting legend Sarah Greene is excellent as the Lady of the Well and gives the role exact authority and otherworldly quality it demands. Plus, it’s worth noting this is a fantasy story which is resolved by a conversation rather than anyone throwing jewellery into a volcano and I will never fail to find stories like this refreshing, fun, relatable and humane.

That’s echoed in the other performances too. Ian Ogilvy is excellent reprising his role from the original series as the conniving Lord Edgar of Huntingdon. He’s given a larger role here than his appearance in the show and it also cleverly contextualizes that role. Director Barnaby Eaton-Jones is similarly excellent as his son, the villain of the piece. Fitzwarren is smug, determined, very much the product of his upbringing and a fascinating echo of the sort of scientist figure who has lit up many a science fiction horror movie. More concerned with what he can do than if he should do it, Fitzwarren has very good reasons (he thinks) to be doing what he’s doing and we find them all out. We also find out what he hasn’t thought of and the way this closes out is a profoundly satisfying resolution to an expertly told story.

The cast is rounded out by Daniel Abineri reprising his late father’s role as Herne the Hunter and the always excellent Jon Culshaw standing in for Ray Winstone. Both do an excellent job and Culshaw’s Winstone is frequently both very good and deeply endearing whilst still achieving Winstonian levels of gruffness. Plus on a personal level, it was a very pleasant surprise to see Beeston, the Nottingham-adjacent town I once lived in, prove vital to the plot.

Verdict: Clever, kind, with a unique perspective and a surprising ending this is an absolute must for fans of the show. It’s also just a really, really good, piece of audio drama and if you like the form even a little? You’ll love this. 10/10

Alasdair Stuart

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