Silver & Gold Review: Immersive Long John Silver Adventure Aboard London’s Golden Hinde

The Golden Hinde at Night

★★★★

There are immersive shows, and then there are immersive shows — and Silver & Gold aboard the Golden Hinde firmly sails into the latter with a confidence that feels entirely effortless. If you’re going to tell the story of one of literature’s most infamous seafarers, there is quite simply no better setting than the creaking timber, low lantern light and gently rocking decks of a full-scale Elizabethan galleon moored on the Thames. Atmospheric doesn’t even begin to cover it — this is transportive, intimate, and wonderfully unlike a traditional theatre experience.

There's not a lot of headroom - even for short people like me!

From the moment we clamber below deck, we are no longer audience members. According to Long John Silver — very firmly not pirates — we are his latest recruits. It’s made clear early on that any suggestion otherwise may end badly. That playful tension sets the tone for a deliciously unpredictable hour.

James Hyland as Long John Silver

Created by Brother Wolf and based on Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, the production is written, directed and performed by James Hyland, who delivers a commanding solo performance that feels less like acting and more like a confession dragged from the depths. This is Silver attempting to reclaim his own narrative — not the embellished version recorded by that meddling cabin boy Jim Hawkins. Here, Silver is complicated, charismatic, dangerous and, at times, unexpectedly vulnerable.

We also learn his Spanish name and the roots of his dual heritage, a detail that cleverly reframes the character’s identity and the way he navigates loyalty, survival and reputation. It’s one of several moments where the storytelling quietly deepens beyond swashbuckling adventure into something far more human.

The audience interaction is a fascinating part of the experience. With such a small group gathered in the ship’s belly, there was an initial hesitation — were we supposed to answer Silver’s questions or sit politely silent? That uncertainty created a slightly awkward energy at first, but it soon became clear that this discomfort was entirely intentional. Once we realised we were meant to engage, the dynamic shifted delightfully. We began answering back, sometimes cautiously, sometimes boldly — occasionally under direct (and hilarious) threat of death. It adds a playful danger that keeps you alert throughout.

There are also unexpected nuggets of history woven into the narrative. The explanation behind the origin of the phrase “given the needle” was a genuine learning moment — the kind of detail you don’t anticipate taking away from a theatrical evening but feel oddly pleased to have discovered.

And yes, it’s not every day you can say you’ve witnessed the death of a notorious pirate at close quarters. The intimacy of the staging makes Silver’s final moments feel strangely personal — less spectacle, more shared secret.

Creatively, the simplicity works beautifully. Music and sound by Chris Warner subtly heighten the atmosphere, while costume design by Melrose McFarlane & Mamble Fashion helps ground the performance in a believable, lived-in world. With a running time of around 60 minutes and no interval, the pacing remains taut and absorbing.

Tickets and tour updates can be found via the company website: brotherwolf.org.uk

For lovers of storytelling, history, and theatre that dares to blur the line between performer and audience, this is an experience that feels wonderfully London — inventive, intimate and just a little bit mischievous. A theatrical voyage absolutely worth boarding.

SILVER & GOLD

FEB 26 @ 7.30pm

SKIPTON - SKIPTON TOWN HALL

High Street, Skipton, North Yorkshire, BD23 1AH

TIX: 01756 792809 www.skiptontownhall.co.uk/whats-on/silver-gold