Escape to Treasure Island with award-winning kings of comedy Le Navet Bete

Last year at York Theatre Royal the award-winning physical comedy company Le Navet Bete revealed a vampire’s secrets in Dracula: The Bloody Truth. Now they’re going in search of buried treasure in a swashbuckling comedy for all the family Treasure Island at York Theatre Royal from 10-12 March.

A cast of four put a fresh, funny twist on Robert Louis Stevenson’s legendary tale. This is Treasure Island you’ve never seen it before. A show that’s 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.

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 Nicholson 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 7+ and their families.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Bringing the story to life with bundles of energy and fun” – West End Best Friend

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Ideal for children who love an adventure” – Reviews Hub