These pirates are wooden

For the second time recently, pirates buckle and swash across our cultural radar. Sadly, this drama manages to outlast the already lengthy Pirates of the Caribbean film, without offering the considerable compensating charms of Johnny Depp.

The subtitle alone - The Early Life, Adventures and Pyracies of the Famous Long John Silver Before He Lost His Leg - suggests a piece whose greatest virtue will not be its brevity. Indeed, when Silver's limb is still resolutely intact at 10.20pm, this audience member felt like flying the white flag.

So what did happen to LJS before he washed up on Stevenson's Treasure Island? According to playwright Simon Bent, quite a lot. The original 17th century roaring boy, he crossed Cromwell, found himself press-ganged to sea, was attacked by pirates, embraced the Jolly Roger, rued the time he hadn't spent with his family and pursued the Moroccan Sultan's daughter. Those later larks aboard the Hispaniola must have seemed restful by comparison.

There's no denying that Bent's baggy scope fits well into the Globe's space, providing the chance for much bustling of actors among the groundlings. Ropes are slung around the onstage columns to provide some fine sets of rigging.

Bent has obviously done his background-research with, for example, mention of the historically accurate pirates' parliament. Yet veracity keeps rubbing up against the awkward fact that men with velvet pantaloons and gold hoops in their ears provoke giggles. There are laughs and bawdy songs - and an explanation of exactly how John is "long" - but meted out under strict supervision. Large swathes of this script could be made to walk the plank and we wouldn't notice any difference.

Cal MacAninch's Silver is an alarming charisma-vacuum, but Nicolas Tennant has the right idea as arch rival Kees de Keyser, camping it up slightly in Roxana Silbert's uneven production. Maybe Johnny could wangle him a part in the third instalment of the Caribbean.

In rep until 12 August. Information: 020 7401 9919.

Under The Black Flag : The Early Life, Adventures And Pyracies Of The Famous Long John Silver Before He Lost His Leg