Written by Ross Mackay

Directed by Jordan Blackwood

Review by Dominic Corr

With your nose stuck in a book, the world outside seems so small, near inconsequential. From standing toe-to-toe with Dark Lords, triumphing in distant shires with a thirst for adventure, or even just retiring into a world with familiar possibilities, there’s a reason why children’s literature often makes the best of theatrical adaptations. And one of the most inspirational, spinning the ambitions of many a writer, creative, or adventurer, is Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.

Initially performed at Cumbernauld Theatre in association with Visible Fictions, Treasure Island has new sails and thrust behind them with Scottish Theatre Producers who bring back Ross MacKay’s take on the tale, and though initially, lots of familiar sparks of what the original so successful remain, there are still fresh enough elements and changes to warrant the re-decking of the new ship – none more prominent than Becky Minto’s staging; a dreamlike IKEA set-up which would feel entirely in place in any home, yet still fantastical as sails, riggings, and palm-trees find a place.

Still at the centre of the tale is young Robbie, Anthony O’Neil reprising their role. School has been difficult for the young lad, and retreating into the pages of Stephenson’s Treasure Island proves to be the perfect antidote to the stresses and anxieties of growing up. We’d all far rather take on a cut-throat pirate than deal with an embarrassing day at school. And as Robbie falls deeper into the tale, he finds himself more and more the reflection of the bravest boy in the world – Jim Hawkins, the boy with the treasure map to Captain Flint’s fortune, with only an ocean, and notorious pirate Long John Silver in his way.

Also returning are Stephanie MacGaraidh and Megan McGuire, reprising central roles as Captain Smollett and the pun-bumbling Squire Trelawney – as well as a few additional performances as crucial characters to the story (an Irn-Bru guzzling Billy Bones) and the odd swashbuckling rogue. These switch-ups go beyond a bit of double-casting, enabling MacGaraidh to play more the light-hearted role to balance and be unafraid to retain Captain Smollett’s strict doctrine of righteousness and steady-eyed sense of justice, allowing for them to skirt the antagonistic edges to create a more engaging and interesting character.

Narratively, the integrity of what made the original show so gorgeous remains – a faithful adaptation of Stevenson’s book, with additional elements to connect with young readers and theatregoers today. What’s more, at the risk of grumbling, the show portrays a young boy in a present age without the need for slang, phones, or pop references, which is another key that unlocks an entire audience from tiny landlubbers to retired seadogs.

A great addition to the cast, Simon Donaldson takes over from Harry Ward as Long John Silver in a performance which is as equally sinister and engaging, though entirely Donaldson’s own – particularly in the dual nature of playing Robbie’s sympathetic father, with just a few minor tweaks to the costuming put to significant effect. Their most successful moment as the vile captain, which sells the antagonistic angle even in the face of familiarity and kindness, is the outright terror they can command with the production’s brave moments of cut-throat behaviour – channelled for younger audiences through Benny Goodman’s lighting, and suggested sword thrusts, all bathed in a suitably crimson aura.

A thrilling theatrical adventure, one which captured the difficulties in making it through a tough day – let alone fighting rogues and scoundrels, Treasure Island finds fresh wind in its sails to tour the country, spreading the trust it has in audiences’ imagination to flourish with the returning passion and skill from the original adaptatio: now equipped with fresh blood and a breath of hope, Scottish Theatre Producers take to the high-seas and audiences with a cracking high-seas adventure sparked from the smallest of bedrooms.

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