Description
Treasure Island Readers Theatre or Guided Reading – an adaptation of Robert Louis Stephenson’s book is based on the well-known classic – summarised through the voices of the principal characters. This is one of a series of ‘Quickie Classics’ – for those who wish to dip their feet without committing to total immersion! Other such ‘Quickie Classics’ include the works of Charles Dickens (including favourites such as Great Expectations, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities) and Persuasion, Jane Austen.
Cast of 6
Duration Around 10 – 15 minutes not including teaching input plus discussion which will add at least another 15 minutes.
For a far more comprehensive look at Pirates, the following, available from www.plays-r-ussell.com, is strongly recommended:
Pirates, Smugglers and Shipwrecks which consists of 3 scripts, with 6 speakers each:
- *Pirates Ahoy! Script
- Smugglers Alert! Script
- Shipwrecks! script
Plus
- Pirates Quiz
*6 speakers – Interviewer, Long John Silver, Blackbeard, Black Bart, Captain Henry Morgan, and Mary Read. Climb aboard with this motley crew – if you dare! This ‘interview’ draws out the main historical facts available on these characters. Additional background information is supplied at the end of the play – the sum total of this information available in Pirates Quiz.
Sample Text for Treasure Island
Cast of 6
- Narrator
- Jim Hawkins (Cabin Boy)
- Long John Silver (Cook)
- Captain Flint – Parrot
- Captain Smollett
- Ben Gunn
Narrator: Perhaps we should start with a rousing rendition of
All: Fifteen men on the Dead Man’s Chest –
Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!
Drink and the devil had done for the rest –
Yo-ho-ho and a bottle of rum!
Narrator: Great stuff! Sung like true pirates!
Silver: As indeed we are! Well, some of us anyway!
Capt. Smollett: I trust you’re not implying any of us honourable seafarers were caught up in your acts of brigandage?
Silver: (Scoffing) Ooh la la! Just listen to this ‘perfect gentleman’!
Jim: Well, he was! As captain of our ship!
Silver: Bah! Only one captain for me!
Capt. Flint: Pieces of eight! Pieces of eight!
Ben: You’re not seriously suggesting …. The parrot?
