2020 has been long and hard, and for the theatre industry, it has been one hurdle after another. Anyone who has made theatre work this year deserves a standing ovation for bringing work to the stage and bringing the joy of live theatre back to audiences, albeit socially distanced ones. Exeter-based comedy troupe Le Navet Bete have pulled out all the stops to bring their production of Treasure Island back to life and the audience at the Exeter Northcott Theatre couldn’t have been happier to see them. 

It’s been a long time since I’ve felt that buzz of excitement in an auditorium but as people filtered into their seats, brilliantly organised into bubbles, you could feel it and as the lights came down, you could taste the happiness in the air. Most people will have heard of Treasure Island, the story of a young boy pulled into a world of pirates and treasure as he discovers a map in the possession of a strange man staying at his Aunt’s inn, but you’ve never seen it performed like this before. Nick Bunt takes on the role of Jim Hawkins, the 14-year-old boy who bites off more than he can chew when it comes to treasure hunting; with Al Dunn, Dan Bianchi and Matt Freeman playing multiple roles including Captain Birdseye, Long John Silver, Ben Gunn, Billy Bones and even a mermaid. 

The cast make it look easy to swap and change between characters, and weren’t afraid to break the fourth wall and involve the audience in all the fun. The script is clever and witty, providing the audience with much needed escapism whilst adding some brilliantly modern twists that many could relate to, such as a parrot called Alexa who would regularly hear requests incorrectly, order unwanted items and make a hilarious references to hand sanitiser. Music was used throughout; a wonderful mixture of original music and well-known tunes such as ‘Walking on Sunshine’, ‘In The Navy’ and ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ and even masked up and spread out, everyone in the audience was more than happy to join in. You wouldn’t think that audience participation would be a thing in this strange new 2020 world, but this production made it work, even getting a young man from the front row to join in with a game of Play Your Cards Right. 

Physical comedy and wordplay comes naturally to this company, with some scenes like something out of a pirate-themed version of The Play That Goes Wrong. Whether trying to work out the names of their shipmates Who, What and I Don’t Know, or trying to work out how to get off the stage whilst wearing a mermaid tail, there was many a laugh out loud moment and after months of being stuck at home, it was wonderful to be able to share the laughter with others again. 

Fi Russel’s set design is simplistic yet effective, with the central box acting as the inn, the ship’s cabin, part of the island and Ben Gunn’s strange home. A number of trap doors allow for the searching of sunken treasure and various tricks, whilst the large ship’s sail descending onto the stage adds a wonderful sense of adventure and fun, especially with the audiences invited to join in with a heave ho! 

Le Navet Bete’s Treasure Island is a swashbuckling adventure from start to finish with the four fantastic performers bringing the story to life with bundles of energy and fun. With music, mermaids, maps and a little bit of madness, you can’t help but get swept up in the fun of it all and it is so wonderful to able to feel the experience of live theatre again, with families all able to enjoy something together, young and old. So to the company and crew of this production, I think the man in the audience summed it up perfectly when you thanked us for coming as he said “Thank you for being here.” 

Treasure Island runs at Exeter Northcott Theatre until 9 January and tickets can be purchased here.