“Treasure Island” – Victoria Hall, Harlow – 12th September 2025.

A review by Ian Beckett.

CAN you attend the opening night of Treasure Island at Victoria Hall this Friday? Yes.

Can you submit a review before midnight on the same night? Not quite.

Of course I can, but if I hadn’t seen quality productions of A Christmas Carol and The Father at the same venue in the last year, I might have been less inclined.

I wasn’t disappointed.

The programme provided me with the backbone of this review, thanks to director Jeanne Kelly, who sets the scene before the curtains have opened: “Four actors, 31 characters…an inn, a marketplace , a boat…” on arrival in the foyer, in the bar, there is a buzz, as a sailor tarred ushers the audience into the auditorium, where sea-shanties set the scenes that will unfold.

The foyer Bar is the Admiral Benbow, with an unmanned side bar adorned with the title “Ben Gunn’s Tiki Bar.” I think it’s fair to say that Victoria Hall has been doing immersive experiences for a long time since it cost you and arm and a leg in the West End,

Four actors appear in front of the tabs, dressed in black, each with a pirate hat adorned with skull and crossbones; four individuals establishing facets of the characters, they will embody for the next couple of hours.

Lisa McDonald makes her presence felt from the moment she takes to the stage, using every element of her body, but in particular her facial expressions to distinguish between the characters she assumes.
Stylistically, this production breaks through the 4th, 5th, and 6th walls of theatre conventions in so far as you never know from which direction your sensations will be affected next.

There is only one female in the cast list (apologies for gender assumptions), but no-one seems to have told Dan James, who delights the audience as Aunt Agnes, Vanessa, and the Mermaid, among others. It is hard to write a review like this with out spoilers but when Dan utters the line “Get outta my pub!” he is right on the money and continues to hit the spot with his timing and accomplished performance throughout.

Doug Thomas’ Billy Bones is a tour de force. Menacing and hysterical at one and the same time. I don’t want to suggest that his eyes were cross, but they certainly weren’t happy!

We were teased by the character “Who Must Not Be Named” who wasn’t Voldemont, but “The Raven” and we sat in nervous anticipation at what calamity might await cast, crew, and audience.
Alan Grant, deliberate or not, delivers his best Charles Hawtrey “Oh, hello” as he enters as Blind Pew, before displaying a wonderful piece of choreography as a senseless Samari in battle.

Was this production pantomime at times? Oh, no it wasn’t but at times…

Lisa McDonald is the glue that stops the organised (directed) chaos from falling apart throughout this wonderfully entertaining escape into a story we are all familiar with, yet contains not one “Ah, Jim lad” nor “Shiver me timbers!”.

Lisa has an excellent singing voice which is used effectively amidst some effective trunk music, Jeff Beck, Bonnie Tyler tunes, as well as some Titanic moments.

Treasure Island is not Treasure Island without Long John Silver. Alan Grant avoided all the cliches. He was genuinely endearing in the first half as he ensnares the naive Jim Hawkins. His leg may have been wooden, but his performance certainly wasn’t!

This production of “Treasure Island” is one for the whole family; even when Captain Birdseye slips into Sweeney Todd mode, it does so in cartoon style that won’t send children away to have nightmares.

Director Jeanne Kelly (whose name is a blast from my past) should be immensely proud of what she has achieved and what her cast and crew have delivered for her.

My final accolades are for the Stage Crew, who dressed in keeping with the show, changed the scenes swiftly, carefully, and unobtrusively, they seldom get a mention, perhaps because we don’t notice them, but without them the carefully interwoven threads would fall apart,

Treasure Island continues at Victoria Hall, Old Harlow, on Saturday 13th September at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sunday 14th September at 2:30pm. If you haven’t got a ticket, and you can get a ticket, then you should get a ticket. I don’t want to spoil it for you but he ending is NUTS!!