Is there anywhere better place to tell a swashbuckling story about the fictional pirate Long John Silver than on the lower decks of the Golden Hinde a glorious full-scale reconstruction of the 16th-century English galleon once captained by Sir Francis Drake who circumnavigated the globe between 1577-1580.
There was time to explore the ship before the performance began, which was an extra treat. You got a sense of the cramped conditions that the crew would have worked in, especially on the canon deck.
Silver & Gold is a one-man production by Brother Wolf performed by James Hyland. Originally created by Robert Louis Stevenson the fictional pirate was a notorious and ruthless pirate who would stop at nothing to get his own way.
Hyland brings to life the pirate from another perspective. A misunderstood man who wasn’t a “pirate” but a man recruiting men to give them “honest” jobs and allow them to sail and see the world! I wasn’t swayed by his side of events but the arguments are presented convincingly.
As Long John Silver approaches the end of his days Silver & Gold is an opportunity for him to try and put the record straight and tell his side of the story, before he takes his final breath.
The performance is centred around the audience and we are the latest recruits to join his ship. Hyland has a powerful stage presence and there’s an air of intimidation when in character and he addresses everyone. You can tell by some reactions that some of the audience aren’t sure how to respond and with the reputation of brutality that the pirate had it’s understandable why some reactions are nervous.
A huge credit to Hyland for giving a strong convincing performance throughout.
For more information about Brother Wolf and future productions and The Golden Hinde please use the link below.
Five Stars.
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
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