Friday 19 September 2014

REVIEW: Pitcairn, Chichester Festival Theatre

I was given the opportunity to go and see Pitcairn and review the show at Chichester Festival Theatre. I love Chichester as a town for super shopping but also love the theatre and I have seen many great shows there.


Pitcairn was in the Minerva Theatre, which is smaller and more intimate than the main theatre. The show portrays the colonisation of a remote island called Pitcarin by a group of mutineers lead by Fletcher Christian. Their aim was to escape capture by the British Navy and to establish a new utopian society based on the ideology of their leader that all men are equals. The play is a grown up Lord of The Flies, and because of this the outcome didn't really shock me.

The men were not alone on the island. They had brought over five Fijian women, which made for crude comments and sexual references throughout. I'm not a prude by any means but I don't think these references added to the plot.

Chichester Festival Theatre is right to push theatrical boundaries, but it has to be with a play worthy of this. I think it is encouraging to see more abstract theatre being performed, but I did get the sense that the plot had sort of run away with the sexual references which is a shame as the story is so famous. I always enjoy the experience of going to the theatre, the atmosphere and the staff are always so welcoming. It's just a shame the show didn't quite live up to my high expectations.

Ellie xx

P.S. The ice-cream at Chichester Festival Theatre is so yummy- the coffee flavour is just perfection.

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