'I might be small but I am mighty,' says scared nine-year-old Will (Alasdair Hankinson) to the terrorising ghost of legendary pirate Captain Crow. The audacious message also rings true for director Matthew Lenton's thrilling adaptation of Eoin Colfer's book. The Unicorn's production is aimed at small kids but is powerful enough to put adults in touch with their inner child.
Will introduces us to his family, holidaying by the sea in a cramped caravan. As Will's pesky older brother Marty (Ashley Gerlach) feeds him scary stories, he has to decide if he believes in ghosts or if it's actually all phosphorescence. Will bounces about the stage, quizzes his dad (Miles Yekinni, who also plays the black-clad Captain Crow) and comically addresses the audience, and wins the audience's hearts.
Marty, like most elder brothers, is both annoying and fun. The same goes for Will's irksome younger brothers, Donny (Itxaso Moreno) and Bert (Cath Whitefield), who are lit up by fine character acting from Moreno, who doubles as a simpering dopey local girl, and Whitefield, both the earnest mum and the glitzy Mrs Watts, owner of the disco. With all the elements of brotherly love, sibling rivalry and revelry in place, this is a joyful romp of a show.