LOOKING FOR THE REAL TREASURE ISLAND
Iva Bryndová 4. November 2015 zdroj www.musical.cz
(…) Brno City Theatre has added another family musical to its repertoire, the adventurous Treasure Island, based on the novel of the same name by Robert Louis Stevenson. (…) The authors have managed to combine an adventurous story about the search for a treasure island with the story of its author. (...) The plot of this family musical isn´t really suitable for the smallest of spectators. There are relatively frequent transitions between both stories, which blend into one another. (...) The action-packed alternation of two different (though thematically similar) stories is good device to keep the interest of older spectators, who are not placed in the position of knowing exactly what’s coming right from the beginning of the show. At the same time, the authors also manage to keep the attention of the younger members of the audience. Pirates, fighting, adventurous sea voyages - all of these elements work reliably. (...) The charm of the adventure story of Treasure Island is just as effective in the musical version. The technical side of the Brno production is very good, and the performances in the reprise we saw were also excellent. Treasure Island can definitely be recommended as a theatre show you will enjoy seeing with your children.
SINGING BUCCANEERS
Vít Závodský 29. June 2015 zdroj Týdeník Rozhlas
(…)Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous first novel from 1883, which has been adapted in various ways for different entertainment media over the years, was given two combined plot levels here: facts from the life of the writer, who suffered from tuberculosis, and the story of an adventurous pirate voyage to southern seas. The actors switch sharply between the characters they play, which are related (and also alternated). This “family show” in twenty-two acts, directed by Stanislav Slovák and with a dynamic stage set by Jaroslav Milfajt, gets its romantic colour not only thanks to Petr Hloušek´s projections but also to the collective involvement of all the participants, along with a live orchestra.
A THEATRICAL MAY WITH PIRATES AND FAUST
Jana Soukupová 4. June 2015 zdroj Mladá fronta Dnes
(…) Dennis Martinov and Christoph Jil, the German authors of a musical named after the novel Treasure Island, have managed to created a really attractive theatre piece which director Stano Novák chose for his premiere at Brno City Theatre. (...) In the premiere alternation, Aleš Slanina gave the best singing and acting performance in the intertwined “real” roles of the writer and the “novel’s” roles of Doctor Livesey and castaway Ben Gunn. (...) Of course, the most attractive elements of the show are the characters of the colourfully depicted outlaws led by the limping Long John Silver, brought to life by the iconically pirate-like Petr Štěpán at the premiere. (...)
AN EXPEDITION TO SEE PIRATES AND THE LIFE STORY OF A FAMOUS WRITER
Lukáš Dubský 23. May 2015 zdroj www.i-divadlo.cz
(…) Dennis Martin composed a series of catchy pop rock melodies for Treasure Island which suitably complement the plot and move it forwards. Martin shows he can work in a variety of styles, from touching love arias to pirate shanties.
Jaroslav Milfajt´s stage set doesn´t have a complex structure and avoids the sin of over-decoration. Only part of the stage is used most of the time, particularly in the case of the scenes from real life, and this enables more intimacy in contrast with the more grandiose pirate scenes. The creators of the show often make good use of excellent projections by Petr Hloušek, with the atmosphere mainly being enhanced by the images of the Hispaniola cruising the ocean waves.
Aleš Slanina carries the whole production in the triple role of Stevenson, Doctor Livesey and the pirate Ben Gunn. It was a challenge to play three different characters but Slanina managed it very well while singing excellently to boot. His change from a hesitant tuberculosis sufferer to the crazy pirate Ben was the most amazing of his transformations. (...) The role of young Jim Hawkins was played and sung excellently by Tomáš Dalecký, who proved once again that Brno City Theatre’s continuing work with child actors is bearing fruit. As far as other roles are concerned, Jakub Zedníček as the treacherous Long John Silver and Robert Jícha in the comic role of effeminate Squire Trelawney were the most distinctive (...)
Treasure Island is a production which is suitable for a wide range of spectators. Children will enjoy young Jim’s adventures and the attractive environment of the pirate ship. Adults, on the other hand, can appreciate the story of a famous writer and his search for happiness in life.
PIRATES DEFEND THEMSELVES AGAINST HARRY POTTER
Jiří P. Kříž 22. May 2015 zdroj Právo
(…) The authors didn´t want to restrict themselves to just staging a fairy tale about one Captain Flint and his gang, led by the one-legged Long John Silver, who is trying to convince some dreamers – the adolescent Jim Hawkins, Doctor Livesey and upstart Squire Trelawney – to go with him to a desert island containing hidden treasure to get hold of this bloody inheritance for themselves. The story was probably too naive for the authors and so they combined this treat from our childhood reading with Stevenson’s life story, i.e. his arguments with his father, his poor health, trying to find a place among the bohemians of Paris, meeting the love of his life, the Californian Fanny Osbourne, and getting closer to her son from her first unsuccessful relationship. It was for him that Luis wrote Treasure Island. (...) Brno’s Treasure Island is an elite musical piece founded on Mikuláš Bryan´s successful translation. Jaroslav Milfajt conjured up a schooner, an island, Paris as well as San Francisco. Andrea Kučerová´s pirate costumes are frightening and Petr Hloušek´s projections are unique, as usual.
I only feel sorry for the stars. Zdeněk Junák (Flint) and Dušan Vitázek (Billy Bones) hardly appear on stage, and when they do they either die or get killed. But that leaves more space to shine for Petr Štěpán (Silver), Aleš Slanina (Stevenson, Livesey, Ben Gunn), Ivana Vaňková (Osbourne, Mrs. Hawkins) and child actor Tomáš Dalecký (Osbourne, Jim Hawkins). (…)
TREASURE ISLAND: A MUSICAL FOR ADULT ROMANTICS
Luboš Mareček 21. May 2015 zdroj www.mestohudby.cz
(…) The team led by director Stanislav Slovák has prepared quite a pleasant and entertaining production in which grand, symphonic music is performed by a live orchestra. The large and pleasant-sounding musical space suits the romantic dimensions of the story as well as the endless seas, as can often be seen in the fine video projections by Petr Hloušek. The musical arrangement by Dan Kalousek only reinforces the almost film-like opulent experience from the resulting show in which, of course, loud choral singing as well as touching duets between Stevenson´s Scottish mother and his American lover can also be heard (...)
(...) Child actor Tomáš Dalecký rules the stage as Lloyd Osbourne, mastering the singing of a duet as well as the authentic expression of simple sentiment without hesitation. Petr Štěpán’s impeccable pirate Long John Silver is a similar experience thanks to his thoughtful and exact acting: he is the lynchpin of this musical show. Dušan Vitázek as Billy Bones is a safe and certain bet in this genre of exaggerated fun – the death scene of the well-travelled, rum-ravaged sea wolf is a real treat for the audience. Robert Jícha showcased his exceptional sense of exactly stylized and dosed comedy to the full extent in his double role, which is a parody of real nobility (Squire Trelawney) as well as bourgeois nobility (the Mayor of Edinburgh). (...)
PIRATES, RUM AND ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON IN BRNO
Pavla Haluzová 21. May 2015 zdroj www.informuji.cz
(…) Aleš Slanina excelled in the main role (in fact, the triple role) of Robert Louis Stevenson, Livesey and Ben Gunn. He is strong in the drama parts, and perfect in the singing ones. He masters the role on all levels, excelling in portraying Stevenson both as a sickly wretch and a brave man in love, and also does a great job with crazy Ben Gunn. He topped everything off with his exact and emotional singing. Young Tomáš Dalecký, who was excellent in the roles of the boys Lloyd and Jim, was a great surprise. (…) As far as the supporting roles are concerned, Petr Štěpán as the pirate Long John Silver (…) and Dušan Vitázek, who was witty as the pirate Billy Bones and (as usual) was the most popular with the spectators, need to be mentioned. Kristian Pekar was also a pleasant surprise, turning in a very authentic performance as Blind Pew. (…)
TREASURE ISLAND AS WELL AS THE AUTHOR’S LIFE STORY
Vratislav Mlčoch 18. May 2015 zdroj www.babocka.vram.cz
(…) The pirate story takes place one hundred years earlier than Stevenson´s real life, and as the characters from the pirate story have their prototypes in real characters from the author’s life, the actors in the main roles and (of course) also the stage itself had to undergo large jumps in time, space and living environment. Thanks to the inventiveness of director Stanislav Slovák, the author of the stage set Jaroslav Milfajt, costume-maker Andrea Kučerová and the scenic projections by Petr Hloušek, this came off very successfully. (...)
TREASURE ISLAND
Lukáš Dubský 1. May 2015 zdroj www.i-divadlo.cz
Treasure Island is a production suitable for a wide range of spectators. Children will appreciate the adventurous escapades and the attractive environment. Adults can enjoy the story of a famous writer and his search for happiness in life. The creators managed to intertwine the storylines and carefully structure both of the narrated tales, which penetrate and complement each other. Dennis Martin has provided many catchy melodies in a variety of styles, from touching songs to pirate shanties. It is a challenge to portray three different characters in the same stage production but A. Slanina did it well and, on top of that, also sang excellently.
Michal Novák: This production’s greatest asset is Aleš Slanina, who played the triple role of the writer R. L. Stevenson and also two other characters from the novel convincingly. His Ben Gunn in particular rules the stage with a stunning performance and great singing. The usual characteristics of a family musical are somewhat disturbed by the tangle of plots and motifs but otherwise one can find everything that makes a family musical in this show: strong music, memories of childhood, a bit of romance, a message for the audience to take away… and of course, there are the pirates!!!
Jiří Landa: The musical impressed me with its story, which combines two plots in such a way that it’s easy to follow. S. Slovák has managed to create the vivid atmosphere of times long past. A. Slanina did a fine job in the main role, negotiating all of the varied singing parts with confidence. He was perfectly complemented by the boy actor T. Dalecký. J. Musilová portrayed Margaret Stevenson with kindness and special warmth, while P. Štěpán successfully played John Silver as a character who lurches somewhere in between hero and antihero. The music arrangement was excellent, and it was a pleasure to see a production which any member of a very extensive family would find entertaining.
