Written by orange• March 14, 2025• 12:43 am• Alchemy Theatre Company, Review, Theater, Yorba Linda

Alchemy Theatre Company presents: Treasure Island @ Yorba Linda Cultural Arts Center -Review

Photo credit: Katelyn Abaya

Written by Alina Mae Wilson

Treasure Island — an iconic adventure tale with a title so famous that even if you don’t know the actual plot, you’ve at least heard of it. Alchemy Theatre Company’s impassioned, high-energy production delivers an engaging journey on the high seas.

The Story

Treasure Island follows young Jim Hawkins (Mads Durbin), whose life is upended when his home is damaged, sending him off in search of adventure and, more importantly, a legendary treasure trove. But the high seas are no place for innocence. Once aboard a ship with a crew of sailors, Jim quickly finds himself tangled in a dangerous game of deception, murder, and the relentless pursuit of wealth.

The story, originally penned by Robert Louis Stevenson in 1883, holds up remarkably well. Watching it unfold on stage, it’s easy to see why Treasure Island became a classic. It has everything you want in an adventure—excitement, twists, memorable characters, and the gold standard of a young protagonist stepping into a world far bigger than himself. I found myself invested in the characters and eager to see how it would all play out.

The Acting

Durbin perfectly captured Jim’s wide-eyed curiosity and innocence, a genuinely sympathetic lead. His performance carried the story forward, ensuring the audience was always rooting for our hero. Every moment Jim was on stage felt intentional—no lines thrown away, no moments phoned in.

Jeff Lowe’s performance as Silver was just as compelling. He effortlessly balanced charm and menace, making it clear why Silver is such an iconic character. Sometimes, in the same breath, he was both a friend and a threat.

The rest of the cast brought great energy, especially in the bar and fight scenes. The sword fights choreographed by Fight Director David Calixto were fun. While carefully choreographed, they still carried enough tension and intensity to keep things engaging. The actors leaned into the action, making the world feel lively and real.

Set & Design

The set was simple but effective. The wooden ship—complete with doors and a massive mast—felt natural and well-suited for the indoor scenes, like the ship’s quarters and tavern. However, when that same ship was meant to represent a jungle, it was a bit of a stretch. Adding green foliage to the ship helped sell the idea, but it was obvious we were on a boat.

One minor issue was the sound during the sword fights. The clashing blades and music sometimes overpowered the actors’ voices, making dialogue hard to catch. Fortunately, these moments didn’t last long, so it wasn’t a major detraction.

Costumes & Makeup

The pirate costumes were solid—recognizable, detailed, and fitting for the time period. However, one unexpected element threw me off, Jim’s stage makeup.

At the start of Act 1, Jim looked perfectly normal. Then, in a later scene, he suddenly appeared with red makeup smeared around his eyes, making him look like a bandit with a crimson mask. I was baffled. Had he been sunburned? Was this an artistic choice? No one mentioned it, and a few scenes later, the red was gone. If it was a makeup error, it was an oddly distracting one. Or maybe I imagined it? Either way, it briefly took me out of the moment.

Overall Entertainment

Treasure Island at the Yorba Linda Cultural Arts Center was a great time. It featured strong performances, an engaging story, fun action sequences, and even some surprisingly relevant moral lessons at the end. It was a well-done production that brought adventure to life and made me appreciate pirates a little more.