Shackleton and his Stowaway
Park Theatre London

THE EXPLOITS of Ernest Henry Shackleton, who in 1914 embarked on the Imperial Trans- Antarctic Expedition to make the first land crossing of that continent, are well known.

One of those iconic Boys’ Own British heroes, Shackleton — garbed in little more than a pair of stout walking boots, weather-repellent tweeds and a positive attitude — took on the harshest conditions imaginable and overcame them.

His ship Endurance succumbed to the relentless pack-ice but, with lion-hearted resolution, he succeeded in cajoling his ragbag of intrepid adventurers from seemingly certain death to eventual rescue.

To represent these exploits on stage is a less hazardous, but similarly improbable, challenge and against all odds is largely achieved in Andrew Dickinson's Shackleton and his Stowaway, directed by Simon Coxall.

The narrative events are revealed in the emergent relationship between Shackleton (Richard Ede) and an initially hapless 18-year-old stowaway (Elliot Ross) who, from being an awestruck admirer, almost achieves parity of esteem with Shackleton.

But never quite. The class differences must at all costs be preserved.

The strength of the play is in the writing, which permits the two characters to extemporise on the conflicted, savage beauty of the Antarctic continent and their mutual need for survival.

There's a compelling soundscape from Dominic Brennan, complemented by effective video projections of the harsh landscape as the two make their arduous and monotonous progress across the inhospitable terrain.

At two hours, this production is somewhat overlong and surviving this theatrical experience is a bit like the name of Shackleton’s ship — a matter of endurance.

Runs until February 1, box office: parktheatre.co.uk