New writing and a pirate play to boot, Scrimshaw performed by the Pump House Children and Youth Theatre, promised a good family night out with its mix of mistaken identities, hidden treasure and high seas adventure.

The story interweaves the lives of four very different people who are thrown together by their father’s legacy. So it is that lovestruck chambermaid Megan (Alice Stevenson), diminutive Pascal (Corinne Swallow) the son of a French courtesan, courageous but duplicitous sailor Diego (Matt Slomka) and black-hearted blaggard Rufus (Adam Feighoney) end up on a galleon bound for a mysterious island where a pile of pirate gold big enough to turn their fortunes around lies buried.

To give more away would spoil the fun of this inventive and highly entertaining show, which features good songs, especially the rousing ditty Hispaniola and a host of enjoyable characters. Though the copy editor in me was desperate to trim away a little of the first act and I strained to hear the dialogue over the superfluous Mediterranean accents, Karen Rhodes highly original play combines some healthy realism with delightful fantasy – I hope it has the sealegs to go on and on.

Given that there are two extremely accomplished casts of Pump House regulars, I’ll just point out newcomers Matt Slomka, astonishingly good in what is only his second theatrical performance and Alice Stevenson who gave real depth to the leading lady.

Lucy Houbart’s ingenious set, meanwhile, held it all together, transforming from ship’s galley to tavern to stately ballroom and back again.

Melanie Dakin