Bryony lavery biography of rory
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It’s suddenly got very epic in the Olivier auditorium at the National Theatre. Ominous music swells in the background and urgent chords kick in like the soundtrack of a chase scene. “I really wish I’d said something dramatic before,” says actor Arthur Darvill, with mock ruefulness, before we both have to raise our voices to make ourselves heard.
Dramatic is definitely the beställning of the day. Darvill and I are sitting next to each other in the Olivier’s lower circle, in his brief break from final rehearsals for Treasure Island, the National’s big Christmas show, adapted by Bryony Lavery from Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 swashbuckling adventure classic and directed by Polly Findlay. And Darvill is playing one of the most famous buccaneers in fiction – Long John Silver.
For 32-year-old Darvill – whose performance as the hapless but heroic Rory Williams on Doctor Who won him legions of fans before he left in 2012 – his ex
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Treasure Island, National Theatre At Home, review: Bryony Lavery’s winning adaptation has a good blend of humour and horror
Treasure Island, National Theatre, Online ★★★★
Swaggering pirates, a chattering parrot, “Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum”? All present and correct. But Bryony Lavery’s winning adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson for the National Theatre, directed by Polly Findlay, also features key updates and wonderfully creative ideas, plus a good blend of horror and humour.
With a 10+ age recommendation, it’s excellent family viewing, and the gender rebalancing – our protagonist becomes a thrill-seeking girl, marvellously played by the ever-watchable Patsy Ferran – makes it fun for all.
Stevenson’s protagonist Jim Hawkins becomes a thrill-seeking, androgynous, “smart as paint” girl. Add in Arthur Darvill’s slippery Long John Silver and Lizzie Clachan’s awe-inspiring ship, and every viewer will want to seek an adventure.
That vast ship is the real star in Lizzie Clachan’s
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10 reasons to watch the NT’s Treasure Island
The lure and the freedom of the open seas may be stronger than ever at this particular point in lock down.
The NT’s production of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic adventure story premiered in the Olivier Theatre in December 2014 in a new version by Bryony Lavery with ace director Polly Findlay at the helm of the ship. The age advisory was 10 and over but I reckon in the comfort of your own home with hugs on hand you could happily lower that.
RSL may have declared about his novel, “it was to be a story for boys; no need for psychology or fine writing. Women were excluded,” but in Lavery’s expert hands this is very much a girl’s own adventure too. It has got an androgynous Jim Hawkins who when asked by one of the pirates “Be you boy or be you girl?” replies: “that be my business.”
Photos by Johan Persson
It will be the excuse you’ve been needing to have a glass of rum. You may want to have some cheese handy too. Look out for Joshu