Review: Pinocchio (Shakespeare’s Globe)

Review by Daz Gale

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A classic character is brought to life this Christmas at Shakespeare’s Globe, as a brand new musical adaptation of Pinocchio makes its debut at the Wooden O, appropriately enough. With the festive season in full swing, and parents searching for a show to entertain the entire family, would this fresh take on an iconic story be just the ticket, or would it come with strings attached?

Though this may be a world premiere, it feels appropriate to debut in a venue so rich in history itself (despite the relatively newness of the building, as one cast member hilariously reminds us during the show). The character of Pinocchio first appeared in a children’s novel in 1883, but he will be best known for the classic Disney movie from 1940. In the years since, there have been various stage adaptations, including a completely different music debuting at National Theatre in 2017. This is not a revival of that musical, rather a brand new iteration of the story.

Pinocchio tells the story of the titular wooden puppet. Created by Gepetto out of a magical piece of wood, he dreams of life beyond the confines of his traditional town as well as dreaming about being a real boy. Embarking on a journey, he meets a series of weird and wonderful characters along the way and manages to get himself in some sticky situations as well. Will he be able to find his way back to Gepetto and discover the real meaning of what it is to be human?

The timeless story has been beautifully adapted by Charlie Josephine, filling it with a sense of wonder and creation through inspired choices. The world that has been realised feels perfectly in keeping with the magical nature of Pinocchio, though always ensuring to keep one toe dipped in reality, leading to a clever and often hilarious balance. There is a tongue-in-cheek nature in the characters Pinocchio meets, ensuring there is plenty on offer to entertain children and those bigger children present who are more commonly known as adults.

Crucially, the success of this production is the heart - though Pinocchio himself initially doesn’t have one, this show certainly has, bringing a story that tugs at your heart-strings and makes you laugh constantly, while still presenting elements of danger that make the initial story slightly scary, but not enough to traumatise anyone (though at least this Pinocchio doesn’t drink or smoke). Another clever element is the inclusion of some Shakespeare references, never jarring and bringing an extra comparison between the elements of this story and the timelessness of Shakespeare himself.

The creative and whimsical nature of Josephine’s writing is fantastically elevated through Sean Holmes’ sensational direction. The Globe feels like the perfect theatre for this story, with obvious connections and comparisons making it feel like the right home for it. Holmes uses this to his advantage, making full use of the standing pit to have characters reach out and interact with the audience, and even do laps of them. The result is joyous, and every bit of audience interaction (including the energetic final request of them) brings a real festive spirit to the evening, making it a great alternative to a pantomime (though a certain high-profile panto across the river does get a mention).

Grace Smart’s design brings a toy-like quality in all the designs, from the stage itself, packed with clever reveals, and a deliberately artificial look to some of the elements, a playful nod to the nature of Pinocchio himself. The reveal of the whale is when Pinocchio is at its best, bringing a magical nature to the show and delivered with excellence, though I must say the lack of inclusion of a real buoy during this scene felt like a missed opportunity.

An aspect of Pinocchio that perhaps doesn’t quite reach the same level as the writing and direction is in the music and lyrics. It is always hard to present a new musical, especially one that is based on a recognisable story, especially when the famous film version features iconic songs in itself. Sadly, some of the ones here do fall slightly short, failing to match the standard elsewhere. They are all pleasant in themselves, but not exactly memorable, and suffer from repetition and lyrics that don’t match the quality of the book, despite being from the same writer. The questions I always ask when seeing a musical adaptation of a classic story are “Do the songs add anything to the story/further it along?” and “Would they be missed if they weren’t present?” The answer to both of these, in my opinion, is no. They may be harmless, but I feel this production would be even stronger than the good shape it’s already in if it were presented more as a play as opposed to a fully-fleshed musical.

One element of Pinocchio that can’t be faulted is the fabulous cast on hand to bring this story to life. Pinocchio is presented as an expertly crafted wooden puppet, operated by several puppeteers. His human form is represented by Lee Braithwaite in a performance that is anything but wooden. Larger-than-life and exaggerated, Braithwaite perfectly embodies the young, loud and cheeky side to Pinocchio in a performance that is playful and a lot of fun. Though the constant screams and shouting may get a bit annoying to some, they play in to the mischievous and intriguing element to the character, and are wonderfully delivered here.

Nick Holder delivers a warm and loveable performance as Geppetto, with Ed Gaughan a standout in a small but memorable role as Franzini, delivering what is essentially a stand-up comedy routine, to hilarious results. Steven Webb thrills as two different characters - first as a tap-dancing cricket in a portrayal that is all too short-lived, and then once again as The Coachman in a sinister and villainous role that showcases all of Webb’s strengths amazingly. A stunning comedy actor, his stage presence is a delight to witness, and brings both of these characters to life in mesmerising ways.

Early on in the show, a character remarks, “People don’t come to the theatre to have fun”. If that’s the case, they ought to steer clear of this production, though, as Pinocchio is nothing but fun. A fantastic addition to the legacy of this character and a great new alternative for families this Christmas, stepping foot into Shakespeare’s Globe can be a magical and enlightening experience in itself, but the magic of this story and the creativity that has been carved out in this production make for an even more wondrous adventure. It’s not just Pinocchio that (spoiler alert) comes to life; this entire show is bursting with it in a dream of a production that is sure to be a hot ticket and a real buy this Christmas.

Pinocchio plays at Shakespeare’s Globe until 4th January. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/pinocchio-tickets

Photos by Johan Persson