Skip to main content

THE STAGE REVIEW | ROBINSON CRUSOE


Robinson Crusoe and The Caribbean Pirates

Published Thursday 15 December 2011 at 17:57 by Susie Wild
Ahoy me hearties. This big budget pirate pantomime has some of the bigger names and most expensive costumes in the region if not the biggest laughs. TV personality turned reality TV star Christopher Biggins (Mrs Crusoe) changes outfits well in between plugging his autobiography and wearing the product placements of a high street giant. Aside from the adverts, a posturing Robinson (Paul Zerdin) and his ventriloquist puppet Sam are the real stars of the show. Especially when Sam is left alone onstage and magically ‘comes to life’ - apparently talking and moving unaided.
The action moves from the city of Cardiff to the deadliest place on earth as an ancient map leads all and sundry on a treasure hunt to Skull Island. In these dangerous tropical climes enchanting mermaids, lost tribes and Crusoe-should’ve-picked-her Girl Friday (a stunning Stephanie Siadatan) come together to help Robinson beat the swashbuckling swines. The soundtrack isn’t the strongest but does take in Tina Turner, Celine Dion, Monty Python and The Little Mermaid. David Bedella (Blackheart) is a convincing, if not especially butch, baddie in pimped-up pirate get up. Gok Wan would die for his gold coat. Other highlights include frolicking UV fish, a swish swordfight and the hilarious merman backing dancer.

Production information

New Theatre, Cardiff, December 13-January 22
Author/director:
Ken Alexander
Producer:
Jonathan Kiley
Cast includes:
Christopher Biggins, Paul T, David Bedella, Alexander Delamere, Lucy Sinclair, Stephanie Siadatan
Running time:
2hr 10mins
Production information can change over the run of the show.
See review on The Stage website: 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Buzz Blog: The Passion | Stage Review

> REVIEWS THE PASSION | STAGE REVIEW BY  SUSIE WILD   ⋅  APRIL 27, 2011  ⋅   POST A COMMENT FILED UNDER    MICHAEL SHEEN ,  PORT TALBOT ,  THE PASSION **** Various locations, Port Talbot Fri 22 – Sun 24 April Cast includes: Michael Sheen, Matthew Aubrey, Nigel Barrett, Francine Morgan and Matthew Woodyatt. Michael Sheen became a Messiah of his home town over the Easter weekend with his leading role in a 72-hour epic retelling of The Passion, yet is was Port Talbot that was the real star of the show. For the sheer numbers in the audience (6000+), and national and international press attention  The Passion  is an ambitious event sure to go down in folklore. Two years in the planning and several months in community build up,  National Theatre Wales  joined forces with Cornwall’s  WildWorks  to create a multi-platform delivery of an age-old tale co-directed by local-boy-done-good  Michael Sheen  and the innovative  Bill Mitchell . In this version of The Passion, poet and author  Owen S
Post a Comment
Read more

I'm on the Edge Hill Short Story Prize long-list

'Some of the biggest names in the literary world have entered their works in the prestigious Edge Hill University's Short Story Prize 2011.' 'The unique accolade, now in its fifth year, is the UK's only literary award that recognises a published collection of short stories and has attracted entries from a number of distinguished writers and newcomers all competing for the winning title.' I'd be one of those newcomers then. Yay! http://www.edgehill.ac.uk/news/2011/03/big-names-revealed-in-edge-hill-short-story-prize Literature Wales ran a story too: Three Welsh Writers longlisted for Edge Hill Short Story Prize Three Welsh Writers on Long List for Prestigious Award Welsh writers  Vanessa Gebbie ,  Susie Wild  and  Martin Bax  are on the long list for the prestigious Edge Hill University's Short Story Prize 2011. The unique accolade, now in its fifth year, is the UK's only literary award that recognises a published collection of short storie
Post a Comment
Read more

Gig Alert: Bad Ideas\Chemicals Cosmic Relaunch

I'll be reading a few poems at Lloyd Markham's event at the Full Moon with other performers and musicians... Come along! Here's the poster: Following that I will be giving a lunchtime reading at Can Openers in Bristol on 1 December, and then hosting and reading at Brown's Poems & Pints in Laugharne on 7 December... Then I'm taking a little festive season break before returning with gigs in Carmarthen, Bristol, Cardiff, Newport and more in 2018. Susie x
Post a Comment
Read more