Swashbuckling on Stage

“Who doesn’t want to play pirate?” 

That’s how Michael Bernard explained one of his big reasons for choosing a new adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s beloved adventure story Treasure Island to direct for SBCC Theatre Group’s next production at the Garvin Theatre.

“It’s such a classic story and it’s a really fun show, which there isn’t a lot of in the world right now. And everybody wants to play pirates… It’s a weird thing because pirates are actually not great people, but they have this romantic connotation, and everybody has dressed up like one.”

What also appealed to Bernard is the twist provided by British playwright Bryony Lavery’s 10-year-old adaptation of the story that gave the world Long John Silver and just about every pirate story ever since.

“Jim Hawkins is a girl, and some of the pirates are also women,” he said. “I didn’t want to do a play that was just a bunch of guys. The idea of having a girl go on this crazy, dangerous adventure is great. Here’s a powerful young woman standing up for herself. That fantasy isn’t just for boys.”

The swashbuckling adventure is a big production, with a large cast mixed between longtime SBCC veterans, including Brian Harwell, who plays Long John Silver, and newcomers, most prominently Emiliana Jasper, who portrays Jim and is familiar to local theater lovers from her time at Westmont College. There’s a three-story revolving set that alternately serves as the inn where Jim first gets involved, a pirate ship, a cave, and even the island itself. 

Plus sword fighting and sea shanties. 

Sean O’Shea, who plays Black Dog, choreographed the sword play, just the latest in his figuring out fights of fancy – he teaches stage combat at UCSB. Shannon Saleh, who has a dual role as Mrs. Crossley/Joan the Goat, has been teaching the cast the sea shanties that are sung during set changes. 

There’s even an animatronic parrot that accompanies the devious pirate Long John Silver. 

“It’s absolutely amazing and it’s been working great, so far,” Bernard said. 

But lest it all look like fun, humor and wizardry, the director cautioned that the adaptation keeps the spirit of the story; bloodshed, death, destruction and all. 

“There’s the untrustworthy mentor, the dark attraction to pirates, the challenge of life on the sea, the lure of treasure,” he said. “And this version is true to the violence in the book. It’s not for young kids.”

As for his own attraction to portraying a pirate, Bernard fessed up that when one of the actors had to withdraw, he considered stepping in.

“I thought long and hard about it,” he said. “But there’s too much going on that I wouldn’t be able to see happening if I was on stage. Our cast is so talented and they’re working really hard. So I’m happy to sit in my chair and watch it.”

SBCC’s production of Treasure Island at the Garvin runs March 1-16. Call (805) 965-5935 or visit www.theatregroupsbcc.com.