Artrix brings festive cheer and emerging talent to Bromsgrove once again in this year’s pantomime, Treasure Island. Produced by Halftail Productions and directed by Suzanne Lane, the play has all the ingredients of a classic panto - a delightful dame, audience interaction, songs, dances and plenty of silliness. 

The story follows Roert Louis Stevenson’s swashbuckling tale of adventure on the high seas - with the prerequisite panto amendments. Jim Hawkins (Dylan Foster-Agg) is roped in to a nautical voyage, when he is given a treasure map by salty sea dog, Billy Bones - played by Anthony Theophanous, also known as Bromsgrove stand-up Fat Theo - and local big-wig Squire Trelawny (Sarah Lake Wynen) funds the adventure. 

The crew are reckoning without villainous pirate Long John Silver and his pals, who want to sweep in and steal the treasure. Silver is played by Scott Simpson, upholstered by his inept pirate cronies, Willy (Caroline Dean) and Silly (Ralph Joy) - who are responsible for much of the onstage chaos and silliness. 

Other characters who Mr. Stevenson sadly omitted from the original novel are Jim’s brother Tim, played by returning comic Kilian Perpetuini, who is spending his second year entertaining Bromsgrove alongside panto dame William Hastings, who this year appears as Babs Hawkins, Tim and Jim’s mum, in an array of ever more spectacular costumes.

Rounding out the company are Abigail Cutler as good Fairy Fabulous, and the Squire’s daughter, Jim’s sweetheart Jenny Trelawney (Sophie Harper). Jim and Jenny share a couple of duets, and the whole company displays impressive vocal moments. 

Front and central to the production are the talented youth dance ensemble, who break into many a routine throughout the play. The dances are choreographed by Mollie Wafker - founder of Mollie’s Performance Academy, which has trained many of the young dancers on stage.

There will no doubt be many impressed friends and family members in attendance to watch each performance, and with good reason - Treasure Island is a truly home-grown panto, made for, with and by the good people of Bromsgrove.

Treasure Island shows until Monday 29 December at Artrix Bromsgrove.