Review: Treasure Island - Le Navet Bete (Oxford Playhouse)
6 days ago
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Imagine if you could take parts of a pantomime, an hour of Whose Line is it Anyway, the music from Pirates of the Caribbean, an episode of Last One Laughing, a game show, a fever dream, a Disney animation and your slightly inappropriate Uncle, and mix them up in a blender. This may be one way to recreate the style of a show by Le Navet Bete.
In reality of course, a production such as this takes a lot of time and development. In this instance, John Nicholson was on board to collaborate with Le Navet Bete’s creative team on the writing of Treasure Island. Billed as a comedy for all the family, indeed it was, with layers of humour for all above the recommended age of 10+. You do not need any previous knowledge of Robert Lewis Stevenson’s Treasure Island to enjoy this show. It is also not essential to bring any children along when you see it. And so it was that my theatre partner for the night and I went to the Oxford Playhouse to see the mayhem unfold on Saturday 5th July.
The show begins with Nick Bunt as 14 year old Jim Hawkins in his aunt’s inn, introducing us to the cast gently through the use of various characters. Here I must mention the set design by Fi Russell – the main part of the set which depicted the pub as well as a boat, a dwelling, etc, was very well designed to be easily switched from one state to another as the performers moved around the stage. The rest of the set was minimal but very effective.
It was when a skit of The Price is Right started that the audience began to warm up and engage. With this scene we had Matt Freeman appear as gameshow assistant Vanessa, looking rather too stunning in a skimpy dress and dishing out the most hilarious attitude and facial expressions. This sketch also included the only element of onstage audience participation in the show (if the thought of this terrifies you, maybe don’t sit in the front row). Our chosen victim was obliging, and so the show continued. I mention this was the only onstage audience participation but must also say the cast definitely broke the fourth wall many times throughout the evening, to great effect.
The cast play multiple roles each, although Nick Bunt is fairly consistent as Jim. This character reminded me of the “Buttons” type of character you’d get in a pantomime – serving young, innocent narrator who you end up rooting for. The various roles suit each performer so well; Al Dunn played Long John Silver, with his evil intentions and “weirdly dashing” appearance, a combination only a villain can carry off. Simon Burbage helped to pull the narrative forward as Captain Birdseye with a disturbing fish finger machine, alongside other characters, with noticeably skilled accents for each.
Matt Freeman needs a mention of his own. Playing the delightful Vanessa I mentioned earlier, as well as (among others) a talking parrot, a mermaid, and Ben Gunn, whilst also adding female voices for other characters, he was so versatile and absolutely hilarious every time he was on stage. Then we had the experience of a trip onto stage and a slight prop malfunction which resulted in the hysterical back and forth between performers that can only take place between genuinely funny people who have long-established working relationships. It was actually a bit of a highlight for me seeing this level of skill in action.
The above paragraph being said, this is most certainly an ensemble show, and you need all of the elements from the different characters and styles of performances for it to work as such.
The sound and lighting enhanced the action on stage, the music, comprised of hits everyone would know, alongside original compositions (by Peter Coyte) was well selected. The lighting was used very skilfully, one example being, talking about how the evening was still light and then suddenly it’s night-time, great comic timing by the lighting operator there. The writing itself was very clever, layering humour for tweens right up to older adults, from innocent puns children would relate to, through obviously suggestive names and gags to very subtle risqué elements many may not have even noticed (life buoy, amongst other things, I’m looking at you).
I left the theatre feeling energised after laughing more than I have in a long, long time. I will definitely go and see another Le Navet Bete production if they pass this way again in future, and I highly recommend catching them on tour if you get the chance.
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
My curtain call photos from this show and others are over on my Instagram.
I was gifted tickets for this show in exchange for an honest review.
