After three bumper years with Cinderella, Bah Humbug! and Aladdin, Cornwall’s Miracle Theatre returns to Falmouth’s Princess Pavilion with Treasure Island – an epic swashbuckling fun-soaked adventure story full of music and laughter for the Christmas holidays.

In this new version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s timeless classic, the heroine, Hawkins, tackles pirates and battles shipwrecked mariners to discover a fabulous hoard of buried treasure – as well as a big barrel of courage she didn’t know she had.

“Treasure Island has to be one of the world's all-time favourite adventure stories and Robert Louis Stevenson's novel probably defined the life of a pirate forever in the imaginations of young people,” said Miracle’s artistic director, Bill Scott.

“I was keen that, unlike the original, this wouldn't be a story about a boy and a load of blokes, especially as history is full of seriously high achieving female pirates (not forgetting Falmouth's own notorious Lady Killigrew!).

"We can’t wait to introduce you to Hawkins, who will show you that a girl is just as capable of swashing a buckle as anyone else on the high seas, as well as the terrifying Betty Bloodblister, the axe-woman of the Spanish Main."

Come aboard this Christmas and shiver your timbers at the sight of Long John Silver and his uncouth rabble of vicious idiots – Black Dog, Billy Bones and Blind Pew and scariest of them all, new recruit Betty Bloodblister.

Fill up your lugholes with sea shanties performed by a chorus of local brigands.

Splice your mainbrace as the hopeless buccaneers attempt the Hornpipe.

And dazzle your eyeballs (patches are optional) as Miracle Theatre once again transforms the Princess Pavilion into a treasure house of fun and excitement for all ages.

Gather up your crew and get yourselves booked up to bask in the sunshine of Miracle’s distant desert island and the warm glow of seasonal cheer.

‘Treasure Island’, sponsored by Dacia Dales, is on between December 13 and January 5, with 2.30pm matinee and 7.30pm evening performances.

The Princess Pavilion box office is open for telephone bookings between 10am and 2pm 01326 211222, or book online via www.miracletheatre.co.uk

The theatre says advance booking is highly recommend, as tickets are already selling fast and previous shows have sold out.