A SWASHBUCKLING adventure with pirates and smugglers is at the heart of a new musical taking centre stage at Salisbury Playhouse.

The production, which is based on the novel by J Meade Falkner, starts its run in the Main House tomorrow (Thursday, April 19).

Set amongst the cliffs, caves and downs of 18th century Dorset, Moonfleet is the story of a young man’s search for adventure.

Haunted by the ghost of the marauding pirate Blackbeard, Moonfleet is a village of intrigue and drama where shadowy smugglers lurk. Against this backdrop, young orphan John Trenchard dreams of Blackbeard’s long-lost treasure.

Rebecca Lock, who has previously starred in Mamma Mia! and Mary Poppins, plays Isabelle in her Salisbury Playhouse debut.

The stage version has reimagined the character of Elzevir Block, the leader of a group of smugglers, as a woman, Isabelle Block.

Rebecca says: “It opens a whole new spectrum with a slightly more maternal role with John and that journey. John is an orphan and it is kind of that mother and son thing.

“I am very lucky playing a man’s part - I get to do lots of fights. I get all the fun things men usually get to do and as a woman you don’t get many of those parts. There are not many of those [theatre] parts at all so it is a real gift. I am really glad they decided to make it a woman.

“It is a very clever decision to make in this time of equality and all that kind of thing. It is so at the fore at the moment so it is really relevant.”

Rebecca and her fellow cast members have been put through their paces learning their swashbuckling moves for the fight scenes with a fight director.

“It’s been really fun,” she admits.

On what she has enjoyed most about taking on the role of Isabelle, she says: “Making her believable in the time because it is usually played by a man and that would be a man’s job to be the head of a smuggling team or to have a gun and be that threatening kind of guy and be feared in the village and to make that work as a woman.

“That is quite tricky to be scary and believable that men would take her orders and she has the respect of the men in the village who are part of her team. Making her believable in the time that is the big challenge.”

Completing the cast is Simon Butteriss, Dom Hartley-Harris, Rhona McGregor, Dan Smith, Ruth Betteridge and Susannah Van Den Berg. Earl Carpenter plays Maskew with Ryan Heenan as John and Ashley Mercer as Blackbeard.

“It is going to be a real family event, there is something in there for everyone,” says Rebecca. “It’s a journey of thrilling adventure, of treasure and love.”

She adds: “I’m always a bit nervous especially with a show that’s new and no-one has ever heard before so you don’t know what the reaction is going to be like.

“On the other hand people get to see it for the first time and experience it and you get to see their reaction which is exciting as well.”

Moonfleet runs until May 5. The production is supported by Salisbury Playhouse’s Commissioning Circle.

For tickets call 01722 320333 or go to salisburyplayhouse.com