A VISUAL STORY
55 Queen Street | P.O. Box 520 | Stratford ON | N5A 6V2 Canada 519.271.4040 | box office 1.800.567.1600 stratfordfestival.ca Charitable registration #11920 0103 RR0002 A father reads Treasure Island to his son, James, and daughter, Bennett, at bedtime. Later, James falls asleep and dreams that he is Jim Hawkins.
From left: Juan Chioran as James’ Father, Thomas Mitchell Barnet as James and Katelyn McCulloch as Bennett. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
A sinister pirate, Black Dog, arrives at the Admiral Benbow Inn, run by Fanny Hawkins and her son, Jim. He is looking for a former shipmate, Billy Bones. They fight and Billy Bones is wounded. He is looked after by Dr. Diana Livesey, who orders him to rest in bed. Another nasty pirate, Blind Pew, arrives. She forces Jim to take her to Billy and delivers a piece of paper marked with a black spot: the pirates’ warning of imminent death. After Pew leaves, Billy collapses and dies suddenly. Looking in the sea chest at the foot of his bed, Jim and Fanny discover a treasure map.
From left: Randy Hughson as Squire Trelawney, Sarah Dodd as Dr. Diana Livesey, Bruce Hunter as Billy Bones and Thomas Mitchell Barnet as Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
Suddenly, Pew and the other pirates burst into the Inn and ransack Billy’s room. Jim and Fanny hide with the map until they are rescued by Dr. Livesey, Squire Trelawney and Trelawney’s servant, Hunter. Jim shows them the map, and Trelawney suggests that they charter a ship and find the treasure themselves.
Members of the company in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
2 At Bristol docks, Trelawney introduces Jim and Livesey to their ship’s cook: the one-legged Long John Silver. As their ship, the Hispaniola prepares to set sail, its captain, Captain Alexander Smollett, voices his distrust of the crew. Jim Hawkins recognises the pirate, Black Dog, who runs away. Long John Silver orders the sailors to chase after Black Dog to show that he is honourable. Jim has his doubts but Dr Livesey and Squire Trelawney trust Long John Silver and don’t realise that he and most of the sailors are pirates.
Juan Chioran (left) as Long John Silver and Thomas Mitchell Barnet as Jim Hawkins in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
Then, at sea, Jim Hawkins overhears Silver and other crew members planning to mutiny and seize the treasure for themselves. The pirates want Long John Silver to be their captain. Jim tells Captain Smollett, Dr Livesey and Squire Trelawney what he has heard.
From left: Nick Nahwegahbow as Tom Morgan, Juan Chioran as Long John Silver and Jamie Mac as Allardyce in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
With their island destination in view, Smollett, Livesey and Trelawney plan to send most of the crew ashore while they keep control of the ship. To stop the pirates from becoming suspicious of their plan, Jim goes with the pirates to the island – then runs off into the forest to escape from them.
Members of the company in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann. 3 In the forest, Jim Hawkins meets Ben Gunn, an ex-pirate who has been marooned on the island for three years who has built a boat. Ben Gunn swings through the trees so she is not easily seen.
Thomas Mitchell Barnet as Jim Hawkins and Katelyn McCulloch as Ben Gunn in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann. Meanwhile, Smollett, Livesey and Trelawney are defeated by pirates left on the Hispaniola, and have to abandon ship and row to the island. They take refuge in a stockade (a defensive fort) where Jim arrives to join them. As they defend themselves against the pirates’ attacks, Jim heads back to the Hispaniola in Ben Gunn’s boat. Jim is wounded in a fight with another pirate, Israel Hands. Israel says he is not ready a visit Davy Jones’ Locker yet – another name for the bottom of the sea - and so decides to help Jim Hawkins steer the ship back to shore.
Thomas Mitchell Barnet (left) as Jim Hawkins and Katelyn McCulloch as Ben Gunn in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
Jim Hawkins returns to the stockade, only to find that his friends have abandoned it and it has been taken over by the pirates. Jim’s death seems certain, but their captain, Long John Silver – who now has the treasure map – insists he be kept alive as a hostage. The pirates choose to be loyal to Long John Silver as he has the map.
From left: Juan Chioran as Long John Silver, Thomas Mitchell Barnet as Jim Hawkins and Jamie Mac as Allardyce in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann. 4 After much searching, the pirates eventually find the location of the treasure – but when they dig up the chest, it has nothing valuable in it.
Members of the company in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
The angry pirates turn on their captain, Long John Silver. Dr Livesey, Squire Trelawney and Captain Smollett arrive just in time to rescue Jim. We find out that Ben Gunn had already found the treasure and has been keeping it in her cave.
As Long John Silver bids farewell to Jim and Ben, the world of Treasure Island fades away, to be replaced by the bedroom of James and Bennett. It is morning, and their mother comes to wake them. It was all a dream. Members of the company in Treasure Island. Photography by Cylla von Tiedemann.
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