National Theatre version of the Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island comes alive on screen
BRITAIN’S National Theatre produces the goods again with a delightfully innovative stage adaptation of Treasure Island - interval and all.
Leigh Paatsch
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Treasure Island: NT Live (PG)
Director: Polly Findlay
Starring: Arthur Darvill, Nick Fletcher, Joshua James.
Rating: ***1/2
Yo-ho-ho and a whole lot of fun
Australian cinemas regularly play host to broadcasts from Britain’s National Theatre, and there has yet to be a dud offering make the cut.
If you are yet to experience one of these expertly-mounted productions first-hand, let me assure you that you in for a treat.
The NT crew pride themselves on filming their best productions with optimum camera coverage, and a sound mix that captures the all-important audience ambience that is unique to live theatre. There’s even a generous interval midway through, for crying out loud!
The latest NT project is a delightfully innovative stage adaptation of the Robert Louis Stevenson classic Treasure Island, which is currently playing to packed houses on London’s South Bank.
Arthur Darvill (of TV’s Doctor Who) dominates as that crafty blaggard Long John Silver, but he is often matched on a presence basis by Patsy Ferran as the nimble narrator of the piece, Jim the Cabin Boy (who is really a girl!).
The sets (especially once we reach the titular destination) are beautifully designed, and the cast keep matters broadly appealing to keep a family audience interested at all times. Highly recommended.
Treasure Island: NT Live is playing selected locations around Australia this weekend, with special encore presentations to follow. For session times and updates, go to ntlive.com
Originally published as National Theatre version of the Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island comes alive on screen
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