A whirlwind of wooden limbs and boisterous song has taken over the Bankside stage, as a new musical adaptation of Pinocchio brings Carlo Collodi's classic tale to vibrant life at Shakespeare's Globe. Directed by Sean Holmes, this production races through the story with full-tilt energy, trading the novel's original moralising terror for heartfelt lessons and infectious fun.
A Fast-Paced and Heartfelt Retelling
The show barrels out of the gates, propelled by the puppet's own mantra: "Fast is FUN!". Charlie Josephine and Jim Fortune's adaptation covers a remarkable amount of Collodi's 1883 narrative, but consciously shifts its tone. The darkness and finger-wagging are replaced by an exploration of curiosity and what it truly means to become human.
We meet the free-thinking inventor Geppetto, played with warmth and humour by Nick Holder, as an outcast in a narrow-minded Italian town. His life changes with a piece of talking wood, which he hopes to craft into a fortune-winning puppet. The puppet, Pinocchio, of course, has ideas of his own. Here, his journey is driven not by wickedness but by an impulsive, wonder-filled energy.
This spirit is perfectly captured by a trio of puppeteers animating Peter O'Rourke's simple, elegant wooden design. Lee Braithwaite provides Pinocchio's voice, which is wild and full of questioning, while Stan Middleton operates as the lead puppeteer. Josephine's script has the puppet firing off life's big philosophical questions, only to interrupt the answers with a sudden, "I'm hungry!"
An Excellent Cast and Inventive Choreography
Under Holmes's meticulous direction, the 14-strong ensemble cast delivers full-throttle performances. The villains and helpers Pinocchio encounters are brought to life with gusto. Kerry Frampton and Lucy McCormick are deliciously dastardly as the scheming Fox and Cat, while Steven Webb stands out in a dual role as the campy Giacomo Cricket and the genuinely terrifying Coachman.
The cast excels at Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu's inventive choreography, and the group's soaring harmonies are a consistent highlight. Jim Fortune's songs span genres from rock'n'roll and ska to pop and blues, providing a catchy, eclectic soundtrack. The lyrics, co-written by Fortune and Josephine, are witty and poignant, though occasionally the delivery is so rapid-fire that some complexity is lost.
Meta-Theatrical Magic and a Deeper Transformation
The production cleverly leans into the inherent barminess of Collodi's original tale and the unique, collapsible fourth wall of the Globe itself. There are playful, meta-theatrical jabs at the audience and a perfectly executed moment where the puppeteers duck down as Pinocchio insists he is moving all by himself.
Yet the show's most significant success might be its expansion of Geppetto's arc. This adaptation charts not only the puppet's transformation but also Geppetto's journey from a nervous, natural caregiver to a fully fledged father. It serves as a poignant reminder that human connection is at the core of our humanity.
Brimming with humour, excellent performances, and a big heart, this family musical offers a fresh and heartwarming take on a well-known story. Pinocchio is playing at the Globe theatre in London until 4 January.
