Notes From Row H

Off West End theatre review – The Golden Hinde (PR/Gifted)

Performed on The Golden Hinde by James Hyland and produced by Brother Wolf Productions, Silver & Gold is one of a few immersive plays that are written and directed by Hyland – this time, this one is inspired by Robert Louis Stephenson’s Treasure Island. Is there anywhere better for a swashbuckling story about a pirate (although he goes to pains to say he is not) trying to change his story, than on the lower decks of a full-sized reconstruction of the Elizabethan galleon? Absolutely not. 

As soon as he enters down the ships stairs, Hyland’s characterisation of Long John Silver is exceptional. He has such a strong stage presence and embodies Silver with a vivid intensity which is creates an incredibly engaging atmosphere. He perfectly captures Silver’s rage when he is challenging the ‘lies’ spread about him by his former cabin boy James Hawkins in Treasure Island. What makes it even more immersive, was him making us part of crew, which sometimes (especially when he fell over when he was shot) made us actually wonder whether we should help him. 

The rich narrative that Hyland created was brilliantly clever too. The language he used was a mixture of Elizabethan and modern and painted the picture perfectly. Sometimes reading from a book, the speed at which he was able to switch between amusing and sincere was breathtaking and sometimes unnerving.  

Our surroundings completely magnified the story. Along with the extremely low ceilings and the slight motion of the ship rocking, we were sat on the benches that the Elizabethan crew would have sat on when the ship was circumnavigating the globe. Being in the belly of this magnificent ship really added a different meaning to the story and provided it with a dose of reality – it was incredible. 

Theatre does not get any more immersive or atmospheric than this – everything was ship shape and anchored in the talents of James Hyland, and the story of a maligned pirate that he has masterfully created. 

Written by Helena Featherstone