‘Fifteen men on a dead man’s chest. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum’.. these are the haunting sounds of Jim Hawkins’ world being turned upside down as deadly pirates arrive: Treasure Island comes to Titchfield Festival Theatre from 22 to 30 November. Set sail on this gritty adventure, with fearsome swashbuckling pirates and the devilish Long John Silver. Will Jim, Squire Trelawny and Doctor Livesey succeed in their voyage or will they end up marooned on Treasure Island! TFT’s production is a new version faithfully adapted from RL Stevensons ' boys own' novel.

Tom Rawlings is director of Treasure Island and was interviewed by Simon Frost:

Simon: Tom, why did you choose to direct Treasure Island for TFT?

Tom: Treasure Island is one of those timeless stories which I often find myself going back to. I remember reading it as a young boy, and then falling in love with one of the greatest film adaptations, Muppets' Treasure Island. It's the ultimate adventure story with a fantastic array of characters, and one of the greatest villains of all time. 

In recent years through a number of productions I've had the opportunity to learn the art of stage combat, and I developed a keen interest in sword work. This, combined with my love of the book, led me to want to adapt and direct the story for the stage.

Simon: Why do you feel that Treasure Island is perfect for the Titchfield stage?

Tom: TFT is well versed in tackling the classics. From the regular productions of Shakespeare's works to Dickens' Oliver! to Dumas' The Three Musketeers, it felt like Treasure Island was a perfect fit.

Simon: How are you approaching the adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic novel for this production?

Tom: Any well-known story comes with expectations, and Treasure Island is no different. For me there is a great deal of nostalgia associated with the story, and I wanted to capture that with this production. We're telling the story from the eyes of a young teenager; the scary parts are terrifying; the heart-warming parts are joyous, and the silly parts are ridiculous. Treasure Island has often been made into a pantomime, which this production certainly isn't. Our pirates are gritty, violent and swear like sailors which is a great contrast to our loveable if a bit dewy-eyed hero Jim.

Simon: What are your thoughts on casting the role of Long John Silver?

Tom: Long John Silver is a fantastically complex character and casting him was a real challenge. In the story, Long John is the Devil Incarnate and represents the temptation Jim faces to become a pirate. That being said he is incredibly charismatic and charming whilst also being a threatening and violent villain. It was important to see the darkness of the character as well as the endearing side. I was fortunate that every audition I saw for the character was exceptional, the downside being this made the casting process that much harder!

Simon: How are you incorporating the island setting into the production's design?

Tom: In early discussions with Abi, the amazing set designer at TFT, we actually talked about using real water to create a beach! However, we decided against that idea when we thought about the risks of running on a wet stage whilst sword fighting. There are really three key locations for the story, The Admiral Benbow Inn, the Hispaniola (the Ship) and the Island. We are creating these separate environments using all the tools available, set, lighting and sound design. For those that have seen it, we are taking some inspiration from the fantastic set design of TFT's recent production, Dead Leaves. Expect foliage!

Simon: Why do you think people should come along and watch the show?

Tom: There are many reasons to come and see Treasure Island. Not only do we have a phenomenally talented cast, but there is also plenty of sword-swinging, gun-firing, cannon-blasting action, some fearsome and deadly villains and edge-of-the seat excitement throughout. It’s one not to be missed! 

Thank you, Tom.

Treasure Island performs in the Oak Theatre, Titchfield Festival Theatre between 22 to 30 November 2024. For more information including booking tickets please go to http://titchfieldfestivaltheatre.com/  or contact our Box Office on 0333 666 3366.