Arts & Culture

‘Yo Ho Ho Treasure Island at the GREENWICH THEATRE by Susan Elizabeth Isaacs Arts and Theatre Correspondent

and a Bottle of Rum!’

out of house and home. When he dies from a stroke, he leaves behind a chest containing a map with directions to hidden treasure on a distant island. Jim manages to survive the careless care of his Aunt Betsy and the machinations of sinister characters such as the hooded Blind Pew. He embarks on a voyage to discover the treasure with the seemingly cordial Long John Silver (Lauren Drennan) accompanied by the parrot Alexia on his shoulder. The staging was understated, but there was a wonderful barrel for Jim to hide in, while overhearing the wicked mutinous plotting of Long John Silver the crew. They aimed to steal the treasure for themselves and murder anyone in their way. The actors vigorously engaged with the young audience, so there was plenty of participation in songs like ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart.’ The kids competed excitedly to shout to the actors ’There’s a Man Hiding Behind the Piano.’ The acting was exuberant and engaging from a very likable cast, but the outstanding performance, I felt, came from Elliott Bornemann both as an extremely camp mermaid, and as the wildly eccentric and demented castaway, Benn Gunn, who nonetheless rescues Jim Hawkins from a terrible fate and saves the treasure against all the odds. All Hands-on Deck and Hoist the Mizzen. This performance will make Old Salts out of you Landlubbers.

Greenwich, with its

wonderful riverfront and majestic ships, formed the perfect backdrop to this jolly romp of a production of Treasure Island.

It was aimed at young children and adults alike, and from the minute the four strong cast actors took to the stage, portraying more than thirty characters in full panto spirit, we were entranced. The cast of two women, and two men swapped genders to produce, amongst others, a female Long John Silver, a female Captain Billy Bones, a male aunt, and a very camp male mermaid. The artistic director James Haddrell and set and costume designer Lauren Connolly, deserve special praise for their imaginative vision. Foam captain hats, jewelled eye patches, inflatable plastic fish, and acrobatic mermaids enlivened the production, along with some wonderful long swashbuckling pirate coats, and a magnificent French sailor’s outfit, complete with striped top, and bobble hat. Orphaned cabin boy Jim Hawkins (played by David Haller), looks a tad tall for a fourteen-year-old, but his talents as a musician add another dimension to this character. The setting is the Admiral Benbow Inn, and a mysterious character Captain Billy Bones, arrives and terrorises Jim and his aunt, drinking them

New art trail uses shared histories to bring about racial justice

Southwark welcomes four globes marking a sculpture trail to transform our understanding of the transatlantic slave trade and how we can take action to make racial justice a reality, together.

This is part of a national art

education project called The World Reimagined. 103 uniquely designed globes mark out trails tracking across seven UK cities. They explore the history, legacy and future of the transatlantic trade in enslaved Africans, through the work of outstanding artists.

The globes will bring people, families and communities together to talk about how we understand our history, how our past shapes our future and how we can act for social change. Southwark’s free art trail started in Peckham and runs until 31 October. Visitors can collect a physical map from Peckham Library and follow 10 globes along a path of learning and discovery that will take them to Brixton. Artist Birungi Kawooya produced the first globe on Southwark’s art trail, now located on Peckham Square. Birungi was inspired through community workshops with members from Elim House and Peckham Platform. Birungi said: “The globe was inspired by the participants tireless work, love and care that they pour in the community, so I decided to create a site of rest and restoration for them with a globe featuring tropical plant life that is reminiscent of their countries of origin. One of the participants brought a baby banana tree and I love banana trees, it was a match made in Peckham!” Cllr Alice Macdonald, Cabinet Member for Equalities, Neighbourhoods and Leisure, said: “We are delighted to be a part of this national project, as part of our broader work tackling injustice and inequality, here in Southwark. “We understand the importance of coming together, sharing experiences and reinterpreting our history. As we work toward the social change that is needed to create a more equitable and fairer future for everyone. “I’d like to thank artists Jasmine, Susan, Alison and Birungi, for their work bringing Southwark’s globes to life with meaning and beauty. “I’d also like to thank community members who took part in the workshops with Birungi and all the children who contributed to the five smaller globes. I would encourage everyone to take the World Reimagined trail and see them all.” The World Reimagined looks at Africa before the slave trade. Then the slave trade. It moves on to abolition, agency and emancipation. It touches on the Windrush Generation and how slavery still lives with us now. It also celebrates the many great Black leaders in fields from business to activism, and sport to the arts. The other globes respond to each of the nine themes of the project’s Journey of Discovery. “We understand the importance of coming together, sharing experiences and reinterpreting our history. As we work toward the social change that is needed to create a more equitable and fairer future for everyone.”