The Buccaneer

The Buccaneer
Finborough Theatre
Running Dates: Sundays and Mondays, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th and 30th June

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for Whatsonstage.com

There is always a chance with musicals from the 1950s that they can wind up being corny and artificial. There are certain pitfalls that need to be avoided and sadly the Finborough Theatre’s production The Buccaneer falls head first into every single one.

It is 1950s England and the much loved comic The Buccaneer is under attack from its American rivals which threaten to corrupt Britain’s “innocent” children. As Mrs Barraclough (April Nicholson) and Mr. Donkin (John Paton) fight to save their beloved comic, the so-called wholesome kids also get involved in the hope that good will triumph over evil.

Although a semi-staged, script in hand production this is not an excuse for a sugar coated performance with an empty centre. With the exception of Samantha Giffard (Marilyn) and Tim Edwards (Montgomery), the cast wander about the stage clinging to their scripts as if they are security blankets. Nicholson and Paton barely look at the other performers and there are the inevitable long and awkward pauses throughout as they loose their place in the script and then struggle for their line.

The set is of the time and delightfully kitsch. Graeme Thewlis on piano accompaniment plays with passion and energy, however this does not apply to the performance itself. Whilst the songs are fairly well rehearsed the dialogue is clunky and monotonous as if watching a second or third read through.

Admittedly the script certainly has its flaws and perhaps there is a reason that this is the first performance of this musical in over fifty years. Lending itself to a certain style of reading you may expect the production to be somewhat tongue in cheek but not to the extent that it becomes a comedy sketch version of an amateur dramatic performance.

What could have been a nostalgic glance at the “good ol’ days” is what the folk back then would call a bit of a “rotter”. Good clean fun does not have to be old fashioned and dated and whilst I usually want the good guys to win, I think I’m prepared to make an exception to that rule on this occasion.