Review: Rugby Theatre's magical show is an eclectic mix of panto ancient and modern

Magic is in the air at Rugby Theatre – in part because Treasure Island is a rarer choice than some for panto season and the creative team have clearly enjoyed letting imaginations run riot.

All the vital panto ingredients are there but there’s also an air of unpredictability you perhaps don’t get with something so familiar as, say, a Cinderella.

So hats off to writer Michael Read and the initial collaborators, to director Emma Bright, choreographers Carrie Gamble and Kristel Bianco, plus all the others who pulled together to keep the cast and audience on their toes.

At times the plot almost seemed incidental but revolved around a mission to a remote island in search of precious metals, with the goodies looking to stop the baddies getting their hands on them – fear not, we’re not talking here about Greenland and any real-world stresses.

No, this remains fairly faithful to the Robert Louis Stevenson original with Jim Hawkins the hero and, in this script, Longjohns Silver as the head baddie.

These crucial roles were brought to life by standout performances from Victoria Gillias, our principal boy Jim – and Simon Burne as head of the excellent pirate gang.

Victoria edges it in terms of that pair’s vocal quality - notably in a duet with love interest Elizabeth Trelawny, played by Ella Knight.

And to talk of the singing is to highlight the dazzling array of musical choices that gave music director Matt Watson and the band plenty to keep them interested, ranging from the old favourite I am the Music Man, through most generations to last year’s all-conquering KPop Demon Hunters.

If the band must have loved all this, so did the dancers from Carrie Bianco Stage School, who dazzled every time they appeared, both with their energetic routines and the variety of costumes. The underwater routine was a particular standout moment but, in all honesty, they rarely put a foot wrong.

On a couple of occasions when things just threatened to feel a little sluggish, the dancers appeared and the action moved on again.

With so much originality afoot, it was interesting to see that the classic routines weren’t always paying off – the traditional cake making scene, for example, seemed a little lacklustre, though no doubt still a hit with first-timers.

It really was an eclectic mix of panto ancient and modern and a fine achievement. Thankfully the early attempts to give our dame, Nanny von Tripe, innuendos for the adults that didn’t sit well when the cast includes many young people, didn’t persist - and Steve Bradnam was a commanding and regular presence in ever-changing costumes.

Senga Veasey brought distinctive character to Billy Bones; Daniel Singleton showed some great comic timing as Buckles; Jayde Dankaro was commanding as John Trelawny; Rosie Fuller energetically awkward as Mr Arrow and Natalie Clements distinctive as Captain Smallhat – heck, you’re not supposed to do a list of names in a review but what the heck, the 14 principals and seven in the ensemble all madetheir mark.

And after so much hard work to get to this point they all seemed to be having a laugh doing it.

We laughed too – and that’s what makes it magic.