Bryony lavery biography of rory
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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
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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 jakt 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 man ourselves heard.
Dramatic is definitely the beställning of the day. Darvill and inom 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 bygd 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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After my disappointment with the National Theatre’s previous livestream of Jane Eyre, they take a step in the right direction with Bryony Lavery’s adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island.
The story is told by Jim Hawkins, played by Patsy Ferran,who is reliving an adventure. After living a pretty sub-standard life with her grandmother, helping her to run a tavern her life changes with the visit of a mysterious man and the discovery of a map leading to buried treasure.
Adventure awaits Jim, alongside various characters as they set sail for the treasure. One thing they don’t know is that they have been infiltrated and followed by pirates lead by the crafty Long John Silver – played by Arthur Darvill, better known for his role as Rory Williams in Doctor Who.
The set- designed by Lizzie Clachon, makes use of the Olivier Stages innovative rotating drum to create a variety of scenes. The most impressive is the ship, including the layers below deck. Another asp