Forget Love Island escape to Newbury's Treasure Island tonight

Performed with just a cast of four in their own inimitable style, the multi-award-winning physical comedy company Le Navet Bete– a Newbury favourite – bring their smash-hit version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic tale to the Corn Exchange tonight (Thursday, July 7), tomorrow and Saturday.

Laced with a whole host of contemporary comedic twists, including an unusual motley crew of pirates, a parrot called Alexa (straight from the Amazon), a certain white-bearded fish finger tycoon and a mermaid you’ll never forget, this is Treasure Island as you’ve never seen it before.

Published and licensed worldwide by Nick Hern Books in 2020, Treasure Island is the company’s seventh collaboration with one of UK theatre’s leading comedy directors and writers John Nicholson.

Bristol-based John is artistic director of the award-winning Peepolykus (The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Massive Tragedy of Madame Bovary) and has previously written for BBC Radio 4, ITV and Paramount.

John is joined on the creative team by Devon based designer Fi Russell whose ingenious and versatile set takes audiences from the lofty heights of a ship’s sail to the sandy beaches of a tropical island in a matter of seconds, and composer Peter Coyte, whose thrilling original score perfectly complements the adventure unfolding on stage.

Co-writer and director John said: “Le Navet Bete have an inimitable flair for multi-character work and also a love/predilection for bonkers storytelling.

“Treasure Island is an epic, escapist, coming of age adventure. It’s a big story, so theatrical adaptations tend to employ sizeable casts.

“This adaptation however is written for a cast of four actors, who seamlessly transition between 26 characters – so it’s certainly epic backstage!”

Nick Bunt from Le Navet Bete added ‘Robert Louis Stevenson’s original tale had always been one in the back of our minds; the characters and narrative give us so much to work with, to create an immensely fun, true to the story (ish!), larger-than-life world to play with and put our own hilariously chaotic spin on.’

Suitable for ages seven+ and their families.

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