Review: Treasure Island, The Hawth

And so they should be.

The Hawth has enjoyed a reputation over 30 years of presenting and collaborating with the best acts on the circuit.

And now, in 2020, they are taking a new direction with doing their own show. And it is a success.

They have chosen to bring Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic Treasure Island to life in a brand new adaptation, premiering at The Hawth Studio.

The cast, acclaimed-director and innovative staging transport you to the Admiral Benbow Inn and far beyond for a night of unforgettable adventure.

The studio was set up with a traverse stage with the brilliant set running down the centre. And it is the set which provides the atmosphere.

And before the action started, some of the cast got the audience going with some wonderful sea shanties - and this continued throughout the show and kept it moving along nicely.

The cast was made of four adults and a team of youngsters (we saw Team Gold) and they worked well together.

Ethan Taylor thoroughly enjoyed himself as Long John Silver and Billy Bones while musical director Simon Stallard showed of his acting, musical and singing talents as Dr Livesey, Israel Hands and Black Dog.

Hazel Monaghan also had great fun with a mixture of accents and she had a wonderfully manic edge when playing the character of Ben Gunn. Kim Wright (Captain Smollett, Mother, Pew) was authoritative in all her characters and you could always hear her superb voice in the sea shanties.

All the children did well but it was Sebastian Oglaza as young Jim Hawkins who stood out - he showed great innocence before growing in confidence as the play went on.

For a first in house production, the Hawth have done a superb job - I wait in anticipation for what they do next.

Tickets: Fri 7pm: £12 (discounts: £10), Family of four: £38. Sat & Sun 3pm: £10.

Sat & Sun 7pm: £14 (discounts: £12), Family of four: £42.