OLDER JIM ACTS AS NARRATOR AND YOUNG JIM TAKES PART IN THE ACTION.

My worst dream is when I hear the waves breaking upon the shores of Treasure island and I hear Long John Silver’s parrot screeching:

(WE HEAR MORE SCREECHING. LONG JOHN SILVER LEAVES THE STAGE AND THEN SQUIRE TRELAWNEY AND DOCTOR LIVESEY ENTER AND BOW AND LEAVE THE STAGE AS JIM TALKS.

Squire Trelawney and Doctor Livesey have asked

me to write down the story of Treasure Island,

keeping nothing back.

My name is Jim Hawkins. My story begins two years ago.

My father owned the Admiral Benbow Inn at

Black Hill Cove.

CAPTAIN BILL:

(SINGING AS HE ENTERS THE INN / STAGE)

Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest —

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!

Drink and the Devil be done for the rest —

Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum!

(HE STOPS SINGING AND SHOUTS:)

Give me a glass of rum.

(FATHER POURS OUT A GLASS OF RUM. WE SEE AND HEAR THE ‘GLUG GLUG GLUG’ OF LIQUID BEING POURED OUT OF A BOTTLE INTO A GLASS)

FATHER:

There, sir.

CAPTAIN BILL:

(THE CAPTAIN DRINKS.) Thank you.

(HE DROPS COINS ONTO THE COUNTER)

FATHER:

Thank you, Sir.

CAPTAIN BILL:

Do many people come here?

FATHER:

No.

CAPTAIN BILL:

Then it’s the place for me. I’ll stay here for a bit.

You can call me Captain.

(HE THROWS DOWN MORE COINS)

Tell me when I’ve spent all that.

(BRING UP THE SPOTLIGHT ON JIM)

OLDER JIM:

(NARRATING TO AUDIENCE) He was a silent man. All day he walked around the cove or up on the cliffs. All day he sat in a corner of the room and drank rum and water.

(FATHER AND YOUNG JIM POUR THE CAPTAIN ANOTHER GLASS AND SEVERAL MORE AS THIS SCENE CONTINUES. OTHER MEN ENTER THE INN. CAPTAIN RAISES A HAND AND SAYS AAGH AND LAUGHS THEN MIMES TELLING A STORY)

He only talked to the other characters when he was drunk. Then he told them terrible stories of his wild and criminal life at sea.

(THE CAPTAIN TURNS TO JIM)

And he warned me.

(BRING UP FULL LIGHTING)

CAPTAIN BILL:

Jim, watch out for a seaman with one leg. Let me know the moment he appears. I’ll give you a silver coin every month for doing this.

(HE THROWS A COIN TO JIM, WHICH JIM CATCHES)

YOUNG JIM:

(ALOUD) Thank you, Captain

(SPOTLIGHT ON OLDER JIM)

OLDER JIM:

(NARRATING) I dreamed about this one-legged man for many nights afterwards.

(THE CAPTAIN HELPS HIMSELF TO MORE RUM AND FATHER JUST WATCHES. JIM’S MOTHER ENTERS AND SHAKES HER HEAD DISAPPROVINGLY)

The Captain stayed month after month and all his coins were soon used up, but my father was a sick man and afraid to ask for more.

(DOCTOR LIVESEY ENTERS)

One afternoon Doctor Livesey visited. The Captain was singing his song:

(FULL LIGHTING)

CAPTAIN BILL:

Fifteen men on the dead man’s chest

Yo-ho-ho, and a bottle of rum!

Drink and the Devil be done for the rest —

Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum!

(DOCTOR LIVESEY THUMP THUMP THUMPS HIS FIST ON THE TABLE)

CAPTAIN BILL:

Silence!

DOCTOR:

Are you speaking to me, Sir?

CAPTAIN BILL:

Yes!

DOCTOR:

I have only one thing to say to you, sir. If you keep on drinking rum,

the world will soon be free of a dirty scoundrel !

(CAPTAIN BILL DRAWS HIS KNIFE OUT OF ITS SHEATH

If you don’t put that knife away, I promise you shall die a criminal’s death under the law.

(THE CAPTAIN PAUSES THEN PUTS HIS KNIFE AWAY. THE DOCTOR AND THE OTHER DRINKERS LEAVE AND MOTHER AND FATHER LEAVE. AND THEN THE CAPTAIN LEAVES.)

(ONLY YOUNG JIM REMAINS. AFTER A PAUSE BLACK DOG ENTERS. HE HAS A SWORD AND HIS LEFT HAND HAS ONLY THREE FINGERS)

BLACK DOG:

(SMILING THROUGH HIS TEETH) I’ll take a glass of rum.

Is this table for my old friend, Bill?

YOUNG JIM:

It’s for a man we call the Captain.

BLACK DOG:

Does he have a sword cut on his face?

YOUNG JIM:

Yes.

BLACK DOG:

That’s Bill.

(WE HEAR THE CAPTAIN SINGING OFF STAGE)

THE CAPTAIN:

Drink and the Devil be done for the rest —

Yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum!

(THE CAPTAIN ENTERS AND STOPS SINGING

AS HE SEES BLACK DOG)

BLACK DOG:

Hello Bill.

CAPTAIN:

Black Dog! and what do you want?

BLACK DOG:

I’ll have a glass of rum. Then you and I can sit and talk like old friends.

(YOUNG JIM POURS OUT TWO GLASSES)

Now boy, get lost.

(AS YOUNG JIM LEAVES, BRING UP THE SPOTLIGHT ON OLDER JIM)

OLDER JIM:

Later I heard the Captain shouting:

(FULL LIGHTING)

CAPTAIN:

(SHOUTING) No, no, and that’s an end to it!

If one is caught, we’ll all be caught!

BLACK DOG:

Devil take you then.

(THEY BOTH TAKE OUT THEIR SWORDS AND FIGHT. THE TABLE IS THROWN OVER, CATCHING BLACK DOG OFF BALANCE SO THAT THE CAPTAIN CAN HURT HIM)

CAPTAIN:

Take that!

BLACK DOG:

Ow!

(BLACK DOG IS HURT. HE RUNS OUT. YOUNG JIM COMES IN AGAIN)

CAPTAIN BILL:

Jim pour me some rum.

(YOUNG JIM DOES SO AND THE CAPTAIN GULPS IT DOWN AND THEN HE FALLS TO THE FLOOR. AT THAT POINT DOCTOR LIVESEY ENTERS. HE DOESN’T SEE THE CAPTAIN AT FIRST)

DOCTOR:

Hello, young Jim. I’ve come to see your father. How is he today?

YOUNG JIM:

Not at all well, sir.

(POINTING TO THE CAPTAIN) But perhaps you should see him first.

(KNEELING DOWN BESIDE THE CAPTAIN. HE FEELS HIS PULSE)

DOCTOR:

His heart can’t take much more of this.

I told him rum would kill him, and it nearly has.

CAPTAIN BILL:

(WAKING UP. GROANING AND TRYING TO SIT UP)

Where’s Black Dog?

DOCTOR:

There’s no Black Dog here. Get on your feet and I’ll help you upstairs to your bed.

(THE CAPTAIN PUTS HIS ARM ROUND THE DOCTOR’S SHOULDERS AND THEY STUMBLE AS IF GOING UPSTAIRS TO THE CAPTAIN’S BED WHERE THE DOCTOR LIES HIM DOWN. THE DOCTOR THEN LEAVES. BRING UP THE SPOTLIGHT FOR A MOMENT JUST FOR OLDER JIM’S SPEECH)

OLDER JIM:

(NARRATING) Later that day I took the Captain a cool drink.

(YOUNG JIM BRINGS HIM SOME WATER. THE CAPTAIN CHOKES ON IT)

CAPTAIN BILL:

Water, that’s no good for me.

Jim, you’re the only person here worth anything.

You’ll bring me some rum, won’t you boy?

YOUNG JIM:

The doctor said – –

CAPTAIN BILL:

Look, Jim, one glass is all I want. I’ll pay you for it.

YOUNG JIM:

The only money I want is the money you owe my father.

But I’ll get you one glass of rum. No more.

(YOUNG JIM FETCHES IT. AND THE CAPTAIN GULPS IT DOWN)

CAPTAIN BILL:

Did the Doctor say how long I must lie in bed.

YOUNG JIM:

A week.

CAPTAIN BILL:

A week! I can’t do that? They’ll have the black spot on me by then.

They’ll come for me.

JIM:

Who will? Black Dog?

CAPTAIN BILL:

Yes, but there’s worse than him.

It’s my old sea-chest they want, but I’ll show them.

Jim, if I get the black spot, you go to that doctor.

Tell him to bring a crowd of law officers.

They can catch Flint’s crew – all of them – at the Admiral Benbow.

I was Flint’s first officer,

and I’m the only one who knows where the treasure is.

He told me when he was dying.

But don’t call the law unless they give me the black spot,

or if you see the seaman with one leg – he’s worse than any of them.

YOUNG JIM:

But what is the black spot, Captain?

CAPTAIN BILL:

That’s a message, boy. I’ll tell you if they give me that.

Keep your eyes open, Jim, and I’ll give you half of everything I have.

(THE CAPTAIN PROMPTLY CLOSES HIS EYES AND BEGINS TO SNORE.

BRING UP THE SPOTLIGHT FOR A MOMENT JUST FOR OLDER JIM’S SPEECH)

JIM:

(NARRATING) That night my father died. So I had no time to worry about the Captain. (YOUNG JIM LEAVES THE STAGE)

(THEME MUSIC AND BRING UP LIGHTING AGAIN AS THE CAPTAIN GETS UP FROM HIS BED AND STUMBLES ACROSS THE STAGE AS IF COMING DOWNSTAIRS. HE HELPS HIMSELF TO RUM)

(YOUNG JIM ENTERS ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE.

WE HEAR THE TAPPING OF A STICK. COMING TOWARDS US)

(BLIND PEW ENTERS. THE CAPTAIN IS STILL DRINKING, WHICH IS WHY HE DOES’NT IMMEDIATELY SEE BLIND PEW)

BLIND PEW:

(SPEAKING SOFTLY) Will any kind friend tell a poor blind man where he is?

YOUNG JIM:

You’re at the Admiral Benbow Inn, Black Hill cove.

BLIND PEW:

I hear a young voice. Will you give me, your hand, my kind young friend, and take me inside?

(YOUNG JIM OFFERS HIS HAND AND BLIND PEW GRABS HIS ARM AND TWISTS IT BEHIND HIM)

(HIS VOICE BECOMES COLD AND CRUEL)

Now boy, take me to the Captain or I’ll break your arm.

(YOUNG JIM TAKES HIM ACROSS THE STAGE TO WHERE THE CAPTAIN IS. BLIND PEW TAPS WITH HIS STICK)

BLIND PEW:

Sit where you are, Bill. I can’t see, but I can hear a finger move.

Hold out your right hand.

(HE PUTS SOMETHING INTO THE CAPTAIN’S HAND)

BLIND PEW:

And now that’s done.

(WITH HIS STICK HE TIPTAPS OUT OF THE DOOR AND WE HEAR HIM GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THE CAPTAIN OPENS HIS HAND AND LOOKS INTO IT)

CAPTAIN BILL:

Ten o’clock.

(HE JUMPS UP, MAKES A STRANGE STRANGLED SOUND AND DROPS TO THE FLOOR. JIM KNEELS DOWN BESIDE HIM , FEELS HIS PULSE AND PUTS HIS HEAD TO THE CAPTAIN’S CHEST. BRING UP THE SPOTLIGHT JUST FOR YOUNG JIM’S SPEECH))

YOUNG JIM:

(TO HIMSELF / THE AUDIENCE) He’s dead.

(HE PICKS UP THE SMALL PIECE OF BLACK PAPER THAT THE CAPTAIN DROPPED. HE TURNS IT OVER)

It says: “You have until ten o’clock tonight.”

(HE LOOKS UP TO OFF STAGE)

Our old clock says it ‘s now six. We have four hours.

(BRING UP THE LIGHTING)

(JIM’S MOTHER ENTERS. SHE KNEELS DOWN AND EXAMINES THE CAPTAIN)

OLDER JIM:

(TO THE AUDIENCE) I told my mother everything.

MOTHER:

(GETTING UP) We must run to the village to hide, before the blind man and his friends return. But first we have to get the key to his sea chest.

But where is it?

(YOUNG JIM BENDS DOWN AND FINDS ONE ON A CHAIN AROUND THE CAPTAIN’S NECK)

YOUNG JIM:

Here it is Mother.

MOTHER:

Clever boy. Let’s get his chest into the light

(THEY GO TO THE SIDE OF THE STAGE AND DRAG ON AN OLD SEA CHEST. WHICH THEY OPEN UP)

MOTHER:

Why shouldn’t we take the money the captain owes us?

His friends certainly won’t give it to us.

WE SEE THEM TAKE SOME OF THESE ARTICLES OUT OF THE CHEST, AS JIM DESCRIBES THEM

YOUNG JIM:

Two fine pairs of pistols, some silver, pipe-tobacco, an old clock.

(MOTHER FINDS SOME PAPERS WRAPPED UP IN AN OLD CLOTH)

MOTHER:

What’s this?

YOUNG JIM:

It seems to be some old paper’s.

(YOUNG JIM THEN FINDS A BAG OF GOLD COINS)

Wow! Here are some old gold coins.

MOTHER:

I’ll show these scoundrels, I’m an honest woman.

I’ll take what I’m owed and no more.

(THE CHINK OF COINS. YOUNG JIM PICKS UP THE PAPERS)

YOUNG JIM:

And I’ll take what I’m owed.

(BRING UP THE SPOTLIGHT FOR A MOMENT JUST FOR JIM’S SPEECH)

OLDER JIM:

I picked up the cloth of papers, and we left the inn.

(MUSIC. DIM THE LIGHTS, IF YOU HAVE LIGHTS. HAVE MOTHER AND JIM – OR STAGEHANDS – THROW A BLACK CLOTH WITH A FULL MOON ATTACHED TO IT OVER THE PROPS. HEAR AN OWL HOOT.

(WE HEAR RUNNING FEET APPROACHING)

MOTHER:

Take the money and run on.

YOUNG JIM:

I’m not leaving you.

HE PULLS HER DOWN BESIDE HIM AT ONE SIDE OF THE STAGE)

Hide under the bridge.

OLDER JIM:

(BLIND PEW, BLACK DOG AND TWO OTHER PIRATES RUN PAST)

…not a moment too soon. The one in the middle was blind Pew.

BLIND PEW:

( MOTHER AND SON LIE THERE SHIVERING AND CLASPING EACH OTHER. WE HEAR ALL THE FOLLOWING SOUNDS OFF STAGE. )

(SHOUTS) Down with the door.

(THEY BASH AND BASH AT THE DOOR. IT BREAKS DOWN. AND THE MEN RUSH INSIDE)

BLACK DOG:

(SHOUTS) Bill’s dead.

BLIND PEW:

(SHOUTS) Find the chest.

BLACK DOG:

(SHOUTING DOWN TO HIM IN THE ROAD)

Pew, they’ve been here before us.

The money’s here, but Flint’s papers are gone.

BLIND PEW:

(SHOUTS) It’s those people of the inn – it’s that boy! Search and find them.

Keep still son.

MOTHER:

(STILL OFF STAGE, WE HEAR THE

LOUD NOISE OF GALLOPING HORSES APPROACHING)

(THEN RUNNING OF FEET. TAPPING OF PEW’S STICK.)

BLIND PEW:

(CALLING) Johnny, Black Dog!

You won’t leave your old friend, Pew, boys – not old Pew!

(DRAMATIC MUSIC. THE HORSES THUNDER CLOSER. PEW SCREAMS)

(YOUNG JIM AND MOTHER STRUGGLE TO THEIR FEET. FADE MUSIC. SPOTLIGHT ON JIM)

OLDER JIM:

(NARRATING) Later, one of the riders approached us.

He was Mr. Dance, the law officer from the nearby town.

I told him my story.

(BRING UP FULL LIGHTING, AS MR. DANCE APPEARS)

MR. DANCE:

My men and I chased the pirates down to Black Cove, but by the time we got there, their ship was out to sea.

Well at least we finished off Pew. What were they looking for Hawkins?

YOUNG JIM:

They got the money from Captain Bill’s chest, but I think I have what they wanted most. I’d like to get it to a safe place.

I think perhaps Doctor Livesey …

MR. DANCE:

Quite right. He’s the local judge and I ought to report Pew’s death to him or Squire Trelawney. I’ll take you to the Squire’s house.

(MUSIC. MR DANCE AND YOUNG JIM LEAVE THE STAGE.

SQUIRE TRELAWNEY’S DRAWING ROOM

STAGE HANDS OR SQUIRE TRELAWNEY AND DOCTOR LIVESEY ENTER WITH A CUT OUT OR PROP OF A FIRE. THEN FADE MUSIC AND BRING UP LIGHTING. SQUIRE TRELAWNEY AND DOCTOR SIT DOWN BESIDE THE FIRE, WARMING THEIR HANDS. JIM AND MR DANCE APPEAR

SQUIRE:

Come in Mr. Dance. Come in Jim. Sit down Mr Dance.

(MR DANCE SITS DOWN WITH THEM. SPOTLIGHT ON JIM)

OLDER JIM:

Mr. Dance gave his report and both men listened with deep interest.

And then Mr Dance left me with them

(MR DANCE LEAVES. LIGHTS UP)

DOCTOR:

And so, Jim, you have the thing they were looking for, have you?

YOUNG JIM:

Here it is Sir.

JIM HANDS HIM THE CLOTH WITH PAPERS INSIDE IT. THE DOCTOR OPENS AND LOOKS AT THE PAPERS INSIDE

DOCTOR:

And now Squire. You’ve heard of this Flint, I suppose.

SQUIRE:

I’d say I have. He was the worst pirate that ever sailed. The Spanish used to tremble just to hear his name.

DOCTOR:

The question is, did he have money?

SQUIRE:

Money!? Of course Flint had money!

That’s what those scoundrels were after.

DOCTOR:

Then I suppose we have here a paper that shows where Flint hid his treasure. Would the treasure be worth looking for?

SQUIRE:

(ENTHUSIASTICALLY) Worth looking for!? I’ll tell you what it’s worth.

I’ll prepare a ship at Bristol, take you and Hawkins with me, and find that treasure, if it takes us a year!

DOCTOR:

Now let’s have a look and what we have here.

(THEY UNWRAP THE CLOTH AN FIND A BOOK AND A MAP.)

SQUIRE:

What’s in the book, Doctor?

(THE DOCTOR TURNS THE PAGES)

DOCTOR:

It seems to be a list of all the money Flint’s stolen from different ships over twenty years at sea. Look here it says ““Bones, his pile.” I can’t make head nor tail of this.

SQUIRE:

The thing is as clear as noonday. This is the black-hearted Bones’ account-book. These crosses stand for the names of ships or towns that they sank or plundered. The sums are the scoundrel’s share.

Unfold the map, Jim.

YOUNG JIM:

Yes, Sir.

(HE DOES SO)

SQUIRE:

What have we here?

YOUNG JIM:

An island, Sir.

It’s called Treasure Island

(ALL THREE LOOK AT THE MAP)

DOCTOR:

So there’s a hill in the centre marked Spyglass Hill.

YOUNG JIM:

And three big black crosses – two in the north of the island and one in the south-west.

SQUIRE:

Look . Beside the last cross it’s written: “Most of the treasure here.”

DOCTOR:

Look on the back of the map.

(THEY TURN THE MAP OVER)

SQUIRE:

There’s some writing. What does it say, Jim?

YOUNG JIM:

“Tall tree. Spyglass shoulder, to the North of North-North-East.

Skeleton Island East-South-East and by East.“

SQUIRE:

Tomorrow I start for Bristol. In three weeks we shall have the best ship,

and the finest crew in England. Hawkins can come as cabin-boy.

You, Livesey, are the ship’s doctor. I am admiral.

We’ll take three of my men, Redruth, Joyce and Hunter.

DOCTOR:

Trelawney, I’ll go with you. And so I’m sure will Hawkins.

There’s only one man I’m afraid of.

SQUIRE:

Who’s that? Name the scoundrel !

DOCTOR:

You, because you cannot keep silent.

We aren’t the only men who know of this treasure.

Those who broke into the inn want to take the same treasure.

Not one of us must say a word of what we have found.

SQUIRE:

Livesey, you’re always right. I’ll be as silent as a dead man.

(THE SQUIRE LEAVES. A SERVANT BRING A LETTER TO THE DOCTOR)

MUSIC

OLDER JIM:

A few weeks later Doctor Livesey received a letter from Squire Trelawney.

(THE DOCTOR READS IT TO YOUNG JIM AND WE HEAR THE SQUIRE’S PRE-RECORDED VOICE)

SQUIRE:

(PRE-RECORDED) The ship is bought and ready for sea. you never saw a better ship – her name is Hispaniola. Everyone in Bristol worked hard to find me a suitable ship when they heard the reason for our voyage – the treasure I mean.

DOCTOR:

Oh dear, the Squire cannot keep his mouth shut.

SQUIRE:

(PRE-RECORDED) I wanted a crew of twenty men, but had great difficulty in finding six.

Then I met an old seaman called Long John Silver, who works as a cook. He lost a leg fighting for his country.

I have found a Captain called Smollett and Silver has helped me to find a first officer called Arrow and a crew of the toughest men you can imagine.

OLDER JIM:

The next day I said goodbye to my mother and we set off for Bristol.

THE DOCTER AND YOUNG JIM LEAVE THE STAGE. MUSIC.