Is she a hero, a criminal—or both?
Learning Objective: Students will read a play and write an argument from a character’s point of view.
Scene 1
SD1: It is the near future. Much Miller sits on a park bench in the city of Nottingham, England, eating his lunch. He wears a plumber’s uniform.
SD2: A delivery drone buzzes in and lowers a box of doughnuts down next to him.
SD1: Just then, his Lenzez—smart contact lenses that display transparent images and information for the wearer—flash an alert.
Screen Reader: You have a new message.
Much Miller: OK, Lenzez, show message.
Screen Reader: Greetings! These delicious doughnuts are for you! In exchange, we ask only that you donate to those in need. Cordially, Robin Hood and the MM
SD2: A puzzled look crosses Much’s face.
Screen Reader: Please enter the amount of money you can give.
Much: OK, Lenzez, respond: I think you might have me confused with someone else. I am barely getting by. I did win some money in a hacking competition, but almost all of it was withheld as “winner’s fees.” I’m happy to give you the 50 pounds I got, though.
SD1: A young woman steps out from behind a tree. She wears a dark-green hoodie.
Robin Hood: Don’t worry. I won’t take your money. I just like to make a dramatic entrance.
Much (amazed): No way. Are you . . . ?
Robin: Robin Hood, at your service.
Much: Wow, wow, wow. I’m a huge fan!
Robin: I know. I’ve read your fan page.
Much: Really? But how did you connect it to me? I thought my identity was totally hidden.
Robin: It is, don’t worry. But, well—
Much: Of course. You’re Robin Hood, the most genius hacker alive.
SD2: Robin smiles and shrugs.
Robin: You’re not too shabby yourself! Your work in that competition was very impressive. In fact, it convinced me that it’s time for you and me to have a little conversation.
SD1: Much’s eyebrows shoot up to his hair.
Robin: Any chance you’d be interested in joining the Merry Men?
Much: There’s nothing I’d rather do.
Robin: I thought you might say that. Follow me!
SD2: Much follows Robin offstage.
Scene 2
SD1: In a dimly lit room with concrete walls and exposed ceiling pipes, five people work at computers. They all wear dark-green hoodies.
SD2: A trapdoor in the floor opens. Robin and Much come through it.
Much (to Robin): That was my first secret passageway.
Robin: It’s great. Now that all the warehouse workers have been replaced by robots, there’s never anyone in that parking lot where we entered it. And, ahem, something happened to the security camera back there. Now only we can see the live feed. Everyone else sees looping footage of an empty lot.
Much: Are you saying you . . . ?
SD1: Robin smiles slyly at Much, then turns to the others in the room.
Robin: Hey, everyone! This is Much Miller, our newest recruit.
SD2: A very tall young man stands and smiles warmly at Much, extending his hand to shake.
Little John: Hello! I’m John—though everyone here calls me Little John.
Will: We Merry Men appreciate irony. I’m Will.
Tuck: And I’m Tuck. Welcome to the beautiful subbasement of Warehouse 54—
Will: —property of everybody’s favorite megacorporation, Sherwood.
Robin: Since Sherwood feels OK about having destroyed almost all independent businesses and positioning itself as our only choice for everything from groceries to medical care, we feel OK about “borrowing” this space from them.
Marian: Hi, Much. I’m Marian, and this is Christabel.
Christabel: So, Much, are you ready to rob the rich and give to the poor?
Much: It hardly seems like robbery if you’re taking something that shouldn’t have belonged to someone in the first place.
Will: Exactly. We believe in doing what is fair and just, even if it isn’t exactly legal.
Little John: We’ve had enough of unreasonable fees. Why should I pay extra to order pizza on a Friday?
Tuck: We’ve had enough of the rich controlling the government, the media, law enforcement, prices.
Christabel: We’ve had enough of the rich controlling our lives!
Robin: But Much, you do need to understand that if we ever got caught, we’d be in serious trouble. The rich do not take kindly to watching money vanish from their bank accounts.
Will: Also, you must agree to be invisible. No one can ever know our identities.
Much: I’m basically invisible now. Most people pay less attention to a plumber than to a sidewalk-sweeping robot.
Marian: Ugh. People can be so awful.
Little John: And that’s why we don’t feel bad taking their money!
Much: So do you give away all the money you take?
Little John: We keep a modest amount for ourselves.
Tuck: Being a Merry Man is a full-time job, and we do need to buy groceries.
Christabel: And doughnuts!
SD1: Robin reaches into a box and pulls out a dark-green hoodie. She hands it to Much.
Robin: And hoodies. Welcome to the Merry Men.
The Hacktivists
Robin Hood and the Merry Men consider themselves hacktivists. Those are people or groups that illegally break into computer systems to protest an issue or to promote social change.
Scene 3
SD2: Audrey Bishop reclines on a couch in her corner office on a high floor of the Sherwood Corporation’s gleaming glass high-rise.
SD1: Her personal assistant robot, IGGY, stands nearby.
Audrey Bishop: IGGY, can you order some of those chocolates covered in edible gold? The board members love those.
SD2: A chime sounds and a light goes on above the office door.
Bishop: Oh, that must be the orchids I ordered. Or maybe my smoothie?
SD1: IGGY opens the door. A delivery drone flies in, lowers a box of doughnuts onto Bishop’s desk, and quickly flies out.
Bishop: Oh no.
Screen Reader: You have a new message.
Bishop (warily): OK, Lenzez, show message.
Screen Reader: Greetings! These delicious doughnuts are for you! In exchange, we ask only that you donate to those in need. Cordially, Robin Hood and the MM
Bishop: Tell me this isn’t happening.
Screen Reader: Please enter the amount of money you can give.
Bishop: IGGY, how did this drone get in here?
IGGY: I’m not sure, Ms. Bishop. No changes have been made to the security protocols.
Screen Reader: You have two minutes remaining.
Bishop: This is ridiculous! OK, Lenzez, respond: I am unable to donate at this time.
Screen Reader: New notification from your bank.
Bishop (tensely): OK, Lenzez, show notification.
Screen Reader: You have paid Robin Hood 120,000 pounds.
Bishop: This is appalling! IGGY, can you get my money back?!
IGGY: Unfortunately, I cannot. Is there anything else I can do for you?
Bishop: Aaaaarrrgh! Help me stop that vile Robin Hood!
SD2: The lights fade on the office and rise on the other side of the stage to reveal a family with three young kids in a tiny, run-down apartment.
Rachel: Sherwood just increased its fee for frequent ordering again.
Sam: Didn’t it just increase its fee for infrequent ordering?
Rachel: It sure did. But what are we going to do? There’s nowhere else to buy anything.
Screen Reader: New notification from your bank.
Rachel: Oh, hey, I’m getting a notification from the bank.
Sam: Probably a reminder that we have no money.
Rachel: OK, Lenzez, show notification.
Screen Reader: Robin Hood has paid you 100,000 pounds.
Rachel: Sam! Look! Robin Hood has given us 100,000 pounds!
Sam: Ha, ha. Very funny, Rachel.
Rachel: I’m serious.
Sam: Wait, what? This is amazing! (calling out) Robin Hood, we love you!
The Enemies
In this play, Robin takes on a megacorporation called Sherwood Corporation—a huge, powerful company that owns many smaller brands, giving it a lot of influence over what people buy and use. But the original character’s main enemies were a bishop who collected steep fees for the church (but kept them for himself) and a corrupt sheriff.
Scene 4
SD1: Chief Inspector Philip Mark is sitting at his desk when Audrey Bishop strides in.
Bishop: Inspector Mark! This Robin Hood situation is out of control! You must do something. NOW!
Chief Inspector Philip Mark: Ah, Ms. Bishop, lovely to see you.
Bishop: I’ve been robbed!
Mark: I am so sorry. Please, sit down and let ATLAS make you a coffee. Oat milk latte, right?
SD2: Bishop nods curtly as Inspector Mark turns to his robot assistant.
Mark: Got that, ATLAS?
ATLAS: Oat milk latte for Ms. Bishop. Anything for you, Sheriff?
Bishop: You trained your assistant to call you “Sheriff”?
Mark: Everyone calls me that. It’s a nickname.
Bishop: Why? Oh, whatever. I don’t care. What matters is that you make arresting Robin Hood and those execrable Merry Men your top priority!
Mark: I assure you, it already is. ATLAS, summarize our work on Robin Hood for Ms. Bishop.
ATLAS: Much technology has been dedicated to the discovery of Robin Hood’s true identity and location. Meanwhile, human and AI agents are working undercover to gather information.
Mark: I will confess that it’s difficult getting people to talk. The public seems to adore Robin Hood. They see him as a hero.
Bishop: A hero! He is nothing but a common criminal.
Mark: I’m with you. I would love nothing more than to send that varmint and his team to prison for life.
Bishop: Well, if you’d like to keep your job, Sheriff, you’d better do it soon. I don’t think I need to remind you of the Sherwood Corporation’s power.
Mark: Of course.
Bishop: Good. Or you will soon be looking for handouts from Robin Hood!
Scene 5
SD1: The Merry Men sit at their computers in the Sherwood warehouse subbasement.
SD2: Like everyone else, Much wears a green hoodie. His plumber’s uniform hangs over the back of his chair.
SD1: He chats quietly with Will and Marian.
Will: So, Much, how has your first week as a Merry Man been?
Much: It’s been amazing. I love showing the rich that maybe they shouldn’t be quite so sure that nothing can ever threaten their power.
Marian: Yeah, it’s a great feeling.
Will: And I never get tired of imagining the moment when someone discovers much-needed money in their bank account.
SD2: Robin calls out from across the room.
Robin: Reminder! The Silver Arrow tournament begins in 10 minutes! Please be ready if you are playing!
Much: Now I just need to improve my digital archery skills. How did you all get so good?
Will: As I’m sure you’ve noticed, Robin is obsessed with it. We get lots of time to practice.
Marian: I mean, it’s not required or anything, but it is fun.
Much: I would have never guessed that a multiplayer archery game was part of being a Merry Man. Speaking of which, why are we called the Merry Men?
Will: It’s from a song Robin’s dad used to sing to her.
Much: I’ve never really thought about Robin’s parents. What’s their deal?
Marian: She doesn’t talk about them much.
Will: They started a hugely successful robotics company and made a ton of money. But they gave most of their money away and were outspoken about creating a more equitable society.
Marian: Not surprisingly, they weren’t very popular among other rich people.
Will: False accusations were made against them. They hadn’t broken any laws, but they were sent to prison for life.
Much: That’s awful.
Marian: I know. It’s—
SD1: Marian is interrupted by Robin calling out again.
Robin: Listen up! Terrible timing with the Silver Arrow tournament, but I just got an urgent message from ATLAS.
Much (quietly): ATLAS?
Will: Chief Inspector Mark’s robot assistant. It’s secretly on our side.
Robin: The Sheriff has figured out where we are. He and his team are preparing for a raid.
Christabel: Oh no!
Robin: Grab anything you can carry inconspicuously, and get out. I’ll stay behind and erase the hard drives.
SD2: Everyone but Robin slips out through the trapdoor.
Scene 6
SD1: Alone in the warehouse subbasement, Robin types at one of the keyboards.
Robin: And . . . Finis!
SD2: Robin turns her attention to the feeds from the building’s security cameras. They show police officers swarming the building.
Robin: Drat.
SD1: She squints at the feed from the back parking lot and sees several police vehicles parked there.
Robin: Seriously? So much for the secret passageway.
SD2: She looks around the room, tapping her chin.
The Enduring Question
Is it morally acceptable to steal if the goal is to help others? For centuries, people have weighed Robin Hood’s actions against his motives.
Scene 7
SD1: Dozens of police officers are positioned inside the main entrance to Sherwood Warehouse 54.
SD2: More are pouring in from outside and rushing to other parts of the warehouse.
SD1: In the middle of it all is Chief Inspector Mark, giving orders.
SD2: Robin, wearing Much’s plumber’s shirt and carrying a plunger, appears and begins threading her way through the officers.
Robin: Excuse me. Pardon me. Coming through.
SD1: Most of the officers barely glance at her. Chief Inspector Mark, however, taps her on the shoulder.
Mark: Hey, you!
Robin: Yes?
Mark: Have you seen anything suspicious?
Robin: Suspicious? Not unless you count the restroom on the second floor. Hardly any humans work in this building, but the ones who do sure can block up a toilet.
Mark: Uh, I see. Listen, you need to vacate the premises immediately.
Robin: Yes, sir.
SD2: An officer calls out to Chief Inspector Mark.
Officer: Sheriff! We’ve found something!
SD1: Chief Inspector Mark rushes away as Robin calmly walks out the front door.
Scene 8
SD2: Chief Inspector Mark and a large group of officers burst into the warehouse subbasement.
SD1: They find a collection of shut-down computers and a green hoodie draped over a chair.
Mark (furiously): No, no, no, no, no!
SD2: Just then, a dozen delivery drones fly in carrying boxes of doughnuts.
Screen Reader: Sheriff, you have a new message.
SD1: The lights fade.
Writing Prompt
Imagine you are Robin Hood. Answer the question from the caption “The Enduring Question”: Is it morally acceptable to steal if the goal is to help others? Weigh your actions against your motives in a short essay.
This article was originally published in the November 2026 issue.
