This universally known story is superbly brought to life with an injection of song, dance and humour by Stephen Kingsbury. The original plot is woven into a superb musical version, capable of being played by children (12+ years) or by adults. All the original characters appear - Jim Hawkins, Long John Silver, Ben Gunn etc with a few new ones added to provide additional parts and storylines. Certain 'liberties' have been taken with RL Stevenson's original plot and words in order to accomodate a number of aspects of modern life which a modern audience can relate to, and laugh at.

Opening to the song 'Fifteen Men' in the Admiral Benbow Inn, Billy Bones treasure map is quickly found by Jim Hawkins, the Squire and Dr Livesey and put safely to one side. The crew of The Hispaniola are introduced during 'We're On Our Way' - the start of their adventure to find the buried gold. The ship's cook, Long John Silver is the prime mover in the pirates plans to cheat the luckless travellers out of their treasure and all the pirates sing that they are looking forward to riches beyond their wildest dreams in 'We're Gonna Be Rich'. On board are Black Dog and Big Jesse, neither of whom are really cut out for the pirating life. Black Dog is a wimp who just wants to go home to his mum, and Big Jesse is a put-upon underdog who wouldn't usually say boo to a goose. Incredibly, he manages to summon up enough courage to take over the ship in the mutiny as the pirates sing their anthem 'Up The Jolly Roger' to close Act One.

In the opening song of Act Two, Silver and the pirates explain what the 'Pirating Life' is all about and why they love it so much. With Jim captured, Silver tries to relieve him of the treasure map but fails, and Jim runs off. He bumps into Ben Gunn, a somewhat eccentric ex-pat, ex-pirate, who explains in an affected Noel Coward manner, his obsession with dairy products in 'I'd Rather Have A lump Of Cheese' accompanying himself, and his Bevy Of Island Beauties, on the pianoforte!

The Stockade has been transformed into Ben Gunn's private Beach Club and Cocktail Bistro, to where the gentry together with the ships First Mate, have retired - almost literally as they describe their new found 'Island Paradise'. Unfortunately though, this haven of beauty and tranquility has no weaponry to defend them against the pirates onslaught other than fruit and coconuts. Thinking them to be a pushover the pirates have left their guns on board and are initially repulsed.

Jim returns to the Hispaniola with the Island Beauties and captures it from Black Dog and Big Jesse. Tasking the Beauties to sail away round the headland, where he plans to board later, Jim returns to the island to help the others. Whilst away though, the pirates have defeated the Squire and the others. Jim is captured again, and though Silver now has the treasure map, he can't make head nor tail of it. He forces Jim to read it aloud, at which point Jim explains that it is coded into a dance routine and if they want to find the treasure, they will all have to take part in 'The Treasure Dance'.

With the route to the treasure now clear in their minds, Jim, Silver and the pirates move off into the night in search of the loot, only to find that the place 'where X marks the spot' is horrifyingly protected by 'Six Poor Souls', the ghostly remains of Captain Flint's crew. In their frightened state the pirates demand that Jim is shot as he has brought them bad luck, but Silver intervenes to save him.

An argument develops which quickly gets nasty, when, in the nick of time the Squire and his entourage appear and arrest Silver and the pirates. Back on board, the pirates escape and are quietly loading the treasure into the Jolly boats. The phantoms appear again and Silver, the pirates and all the treasure are despatched to the bottom of the sea. In the morning Mr Arrow tells the Squire and the others the treasure has gone. They insist on getting it back until Jim says that would be impossible, and that real treasure is having real friends who are worth their weight in gold. He sings the opening bars of the Finale, 'Find The Treasure There' joined then by the rest of the cast as the show closes.

'Treasure Island!' is a beatifully crafted musical for kids and grown-ups to enjoy. The music generally has an upbeat, rollicking, nautical theme to it and complements the spoken text perfectly. Each act lasts for about 50 minutes, and the musical is available with three CD's - one for use at rehearsals, one for use during performances (with all the necessary sound effects) and if required, another, with nine of the songs recorded with vocals by the composer and his colleagues.