aid Marian and Her Merry Men

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VERSION 1.20 June 1998

WHAT'S NEW IN THIS VERSION

• Updated info about videos.
  
• Updated list of books adapted from television episodes.
  
• Added info on other Maid Marian books.
  

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is Maid Marian and Her Merry Men (MMMM)?
2. Where can I get MMMM on video?
3. Is there an episode guide for MMMM?
4. What are the lyrics of the theme song?
5. Where do I know some of the cast from?
6. Wasn't there a MMMM Christmas special?
7. Are there books about MMMM?

CREDITS

This FAQ List was originally created by Benjamin John Evans, and modelled on the RED DWARF FAQ, created by Michael J. Montoure and Renee Ann Byrd, and currently maintained by Patrick M. Berry.

HOW TO FIND THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS LIST

The current version of this list will be posted as it is updated to alt.comedy.british. At any time, you can request a copy of the most recently posted version from the author at turlough@oocities.com. Alternatively, it is made available via WWW at:
http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~bjev/marian/ or http://www.oocities.org/TelevisionCity/Set/2592/

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

This document is Compilation Copyright © 1997 by Benjamin John Evans. It may be freely redistributed in its entirety provided that this copyright notice is not removed. It may not be sold for profit or incorporated in commercial documents without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Maid Marian and Her Merry Men is a children's television series created and written by Tony Robinson, which aired in the U.K. between 1989 and 1994. The show is a re-telling of the legend of Robin Hood; in this version it is Maid Marian who is the dynamic leader of the Merry Men, while Robin is in fact a cowardly tailor from Kensington.

(Due to its long name, Maid Marian and Her Merry Men is often shortened to either "MMMM" or "Maid Marian" (the title character is referred to as just "Marian").)

The regular cast of the series are:

  YE GOODIES

  Marian.....................Kate Lonergan
  Robin of Kensington........Wayne Morris
  Barrington.................Danny John-Jules
  Rabies.....................Howard Lew Lewis
  Little Ron.................Mike Edmonds

  YE BADDIES

  King John..................Forbes Collins
  The Sheriff of Nottingham..Tony Robinson
  Gary.......................Mark Billingham
  Graeme.....................David Lloyd
  Guy of Gisborne............Ramsay Gilderdale  (1990-1994)
  Rotten Rose Scargill.......Siobhan Forgarty   (1993-1994)

  YE PEASANTS

  Gladys.....................Hilary Mason
  Snooker....................Robin Chandler

So far, the BBC have only released two volumes of MMMM on video: "How the Band Got Together" and "The Miracle of St. Charlene", comprising the six episodes of the first series. They *were* readily available from video retailers in the UK and from ABC Shops and Centres in Australia; however, it has been recently reported that the tapes have been deleted from BBC listings.

[Let me know about availability in other countries and I'll add the information here. -- BJE]

The Red Dwarf FAQ points readers to the alt.comedy.british FAQ List, which includes an excellent list of mail-order dealers who will ship British comedy videotapes to overseas customers. It is located at:

ftp://rtfm.mit.edu/pub/usenet/news.answers/tv/british-comedy/general-faq/part4
or locally on the Swirly Thing Alert site at
http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~bjev/marian/acb_faq4.txt

and is also posted regularly on alt.comedy.british, alt.answers, and news.answers. Failing that, I can send you a copy via email.

No official programme guide has been published, but a complete guide to all four series by Ben Evans can be found on the Maid Marian Programme Guide web site at:
http://www.ecr.mu.oz.au/~bjev/marian/index.html

or http://www.oocities.org/TelevisionCity/Set/2952/index.html

A plain text version can be obtained from the above sites, or by emailing me with your request at:
turlough@oocities.com
The following is basic information for all four series; unfortunately, I do not have broadcast dates for series one, two and three. If you know them, please send them to me at the above email address.

  Series 1 - 1989                               

  1 How the Band Got Together...........16 Nov 89
  2 Robert the Incredible Chicken.......23 Nov 89
  3 A Game Called John..................30 Nov 89
  4 The Miracle of St. Charlene......... 7 Dec 89
  5 The Sharp End of a Cow..............14 Dec 89
  6 The Whitish Knight..................21 Dec 89

  Series 2 - 1990

    The Beast of Bolsover...............15 Nov 90
    The Worksop Egg Fairy...............22 Nov 90
    Little Brown Noses..................29 Nov 90
    Rabies in Love...................... 6 Dec 90
    Rotten Rose - part one..............13 Dec 90
                - part two..............20 Dec 90

  Series 3 - 1993

    The Big Baby........................ 7 Jan 93
    Driving Ambition....................14 Jan 93
    Keeping Mum.........................21 Jan 93
    They Came From Outer Space..........28 Jan 93
    Robin and the Beansprout............ 4 Feb 93
    The Great Mud Harvest...............11 Feb 93

  Series 4 - 1994

    Tunnel Vision....................... 5 Jan 94
    Bouncy Sheriff......................12 Jan 94
    Raining Forks.......................19 Jan 94
    The Wise Woman of Worksop...........26 Jan 94
    Robin the Bad....................... 2 Feb 94
    The Nice Sumatran................... 9 Feb 94
    Voyage to the Bottom of the Forest..16 Feb 94

The lyrics are:

 Ma-ri-an!

 Why don't you carry on,
 With what you're doing,
 'Cause there's always
 Trouble brewing
 You've got to find a way
 To make a better day
 Oh, Marian...

 Why don't you carry on
 With your Merry Men
 And make heroes
 Out of each of them
 You've got to find a space
 To make a better place
 Oh, Marian (Oh Marian)

If you want lyrics to any of the other songs, many of them can be found on the web site (see above for address).

Several of MMMM's cast members are better known for other roles. The major roles the cast have had in other series, as well as a few cameo appearances and minor parts, include:

 Danny John-Jules:
  Cat in Red Dwarf (1987- ). Has also appeared in The Tomorrow
  People, The Bill and the films Little Shop of Horrors and
  Labyrinth.

 Tony Robinson:
  Baldric in Blackadder (1983-1989). Has also made various other
  series of his own, including the story-telling children's programs
  Fat Tulip, Fat Tulip Too, Odysseus and others. Has appeared in 
  numerous other programs, including The Young Ones, The Good Sex
  Guide, and many others.

 Kate Lonergan:
  Played the stage manager in the Mel Smith film The Tall Guy,
  starring Jeff Goldblum and Rowan Atkinson.

 Wayne Morris:
  Not been in much television, really, but did appear in the
  Tongue Tied video for Danny John-Jules.

 Ramsay Gilderdale:
  Played the fiancee of Blackadder's neice in Blackadder's Christmas
  Carol (which, of course, also featured Tony Robinson as Baldrick).

 Howard Lew Lewis:
  Played the barman in Brush Strokes. Various other television
  appearances, including Harry's Mad (see below).

 Mike Edmonds:
  Various film and television appearances, including Terry Gilliam's
  Time Bandits.


 David Lloyd and Mark Billingham:
  Both David and Mark have appeared in the children's series Harry's
  Mad, which they also wrote. Howard Lew Lewis has appeared in an
  episode.

I recommend the Internet Movie Database if you want more detailed information.

6. Wasn't there a MMMM Christmas special?

Yes, although I've been led to believe otherwise by a certain cast member... From the programme guide (version 1.1):
The Christmas special was scheduled for and filmed in 1992, but not broadcast until Christmas Eve 1993. Details are scarce, but the plot centred around Marian falling in love with the Manager's son of the title, who was trying to manipulate her as well as Rose Scargill. This special episode was 50 minutes long.

The episode was titled Maid Marian and Much the Mini-Mart Managers' Son.

7. Are there books about MMMM?

Yes. BBC Books have published a number of comic-book adaptions of first series MMMM episodes. The episodes How The Band Got Together, Robert The Incredible Chicken, The Whitish Knight, The Beast of Bolsover, Rabies in Love, The Worksop Egg Fairy, They Came From Outer Space, and, as one volume, Driving Ambition and Keeping Mum have all been adapted into books.

The books are probably out of print; however, to help you in finding them, here are the publishing details of Robert the Incredible Chicken:

  Maid Marian and her Merry Men: Robert the Incredible Chicken,
  by Tony Robinson. Illustrated by Paul Cemmick.
  Published by BBC Books; first printed 1989, reprinted 1990.
  ISBN 0 563 20808 2 (paperback).
  (c) Tony Robinson 1989; illustrations (c) Paul Cemmick 1989.
 

In addition to the noveilisations, also published are a novel version of the story by Tony Robinson, and the script of the play - presumably the musical version.