Theater review: 'Treasure Island' comes to life onstage Theater review: 'Treasure Island' comes to life onstage (June 05, 2002)

By Bryan Wiggin

Almanac Theater Critic

There's a lot of story in Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale "Treasure Island," and Bruce W. De Les Dernier's adaptation brings it to life with color, action and character.

Young Jim Hawkins, master with his mother (Eileen De Les Dernier) of the Benbow Inn on the coast of England, is warned by the pirate Billy Bones (Mark Drum) to watch for a one-legged man. Two others show up instead -- Black Dog (Erik S. Varrelmann) and Blind Pew (Mark Pickens). They're seeking the map to buried treasure in Bones's sea chest, and they kill him in their effort to get it.

But Jim has the map, and with the aid of Squire Trelawney (made humorously effete by Troy Johnson) and Doctor Livesey (Fernando J. Paiz), they hire a ship and Captain Smollet (the tautly disciplined Mark Pickens) to find the island and the fortune.

But most of the crew has been picked by that saltiest of sea dogs, Long John Silver. Todd Wright is hearty, sweaty and cunning as the one-legged pirate, with a big voice made rough by wind and sea.

Once on the island, Silver and his shipmates lay siege to the old fort where Jim and the good guys take refuge. Virtue triumphs, and the survivors return to England, though Silver escapes with a bag of gold.

Young Gregg Aronica is bright and quick as Jim, tying the story together with frequent direct address to the audience. Amr Mourad gives lots of quirky character to Ben Gunn, marooned on the island for three years.

In fact, there's not a weak performance in the cast, and the cast is a large one. Director Dernier keeps the action moving, though there are a few too many scene changes in the later parts of Act II. There are colorful costumes from Pati Bristow.

This "Treasure Island" is a very entertaining production, and it's well worth shivering your timbers in the chilly night air to see it.

Performances

"A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Treasure Island" are being performed in repertory by the Menlo Players Guild and the Festival Theatre Ensemble at Mid-Peninsula High School, 1340 Willow Road in Menlo Park, through June 29. For information, call 322-3261.