There’s a lot of “yo ho ho” at the Greenwich Theatre this summer with the opening of their family production of Treasure Island. With a sparkling script from Le Navet Bete, one of the UK’s leading physical theatre companies, this is a retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island that will have little ones squirming in delight at the slapstick and the grown-ups chuckling at the more adult references (the group set sail on the Jolly Todger).
Director James Haddrell has gone for a pantomime style for this fun show, with a tight ensemble of four. Elliott Bornemann shows his versatility in a dame-like Aunt Agnes, a camp mermaid and a grass-skirted native among other characters, while Lauren Drennan excels in the role of Long John Silver and Helen Ramsay has fun with her Captain Birdseye. Between the three of them they play dozens of characters, with David Haller anchoring the show in his role of orphaned teenager Jim Hawkins. Haller’s musical ability both vocally and on the piano, is one of the show’s highlights.
The story is chaotic and at times hard to follow. But all my children got the general gist that Jim and the pirates who accompany him are looking for treasure with the help of a recently discovered treasure map. My children particularly enjoyed the parrot called Alexa, which keeps misinterpreting requests with the voice of the Amazon app. When asked where Long John Sliver is, Alexa replies: “adding silver long johns to your basket”. They also loved Captain Birds Eye and his fish fingers. And the oldies in the audience (like me) delighted in the revival of the gameshow “Blankety Blank” (which is used in the bet to win the ship).
With a running time of 2hrs and 15minutes with at 20minute interval, this feels like a proper family outing and everyone is sure to leave smiling.
19th August – 4 September. Suitable from aged 6+. Tickets £25.
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