The Theatre Royal Stratford opened exactly 140 years ago this month, and Carlo Collodi’s story of puppet Pinocchio is just a year older. It doesn’t have some of the typical pantomime characters familiar from earlier fairy tales—there is no romance with a prince or princess to trigger a wedding walk-down finale, no demon king to do battle with nor an obvious dame figure—but it does have a concentrated story about a wooden small boy who learns about right and wrong as he grows up to be a real boy, and it does have a fairy.
Writer Trish Cooke’s adaptation conflates dame and fairy, played by panto stalwart Michael Bertenshaw. Blue Rinse Fairy is no spring chicken, she’s already having some memory problems and the whistle she has to call help or give warning is too shrill for her to hear it, but she’s new to this job protecting Pinocchio and helping him make the right choices. Her wings are beginner size, they’ll grow as she gains experience and she’s helped by a lively cricket called Krik Krak (Nicole Louise Lewis), who also calls on the aid of the audience.
There is no widowed dame, but there is a widower: woodcarver and toymaker Geppetto. Like his neighbours in Stratty Ash, he is poor and having a hard time. The loss of his wife has left a big hole in his life: can Pinocchio, the wooden boy we see him carving, come to fill it? Tok Morakinyo makes him a man with a lot of love to give; he deserves to be happy.
The creation of Pinocchio is cleverly presented with a few strokes of a chisel, and soon his creator is showing him how to use his limbs. In no time, Pinocchio is walking and dancing. Dylan Collymore brings him to life with an energy and charisma that bring extra sparkle to the whole show: big talent in a small package.
Pinocchio is supposed to go to school, but is waylaid by baddies, Rushand Chambers and Jhanaica Van Mook as Sly Fox and Miss Cat, who lead him astray and exploit him. Blue Rinse and Krik Krak have a tough job rescuing him from being turned into a donkey and swallowed by a shark.
The script keeps the storyline clear and simple. This is a kids’ panto without double entendres and political references aimed at adults. There’s no ”It’s behind You!” either but still plenty of opportunity for audience involvement, while composer and lyricist Robert Hyman packs it out with lively songs that range across genres from rap to soul and disco that spark Claudimar Neto’s energetic choreography.
One of the cast was taken ill shortly before the matinée I saw, but you wouldn’t have known it. I did find the first couple of numbers a little too long when the show was still warming up, but thereafter, Omar F Okai’s direction welds the company into a well-integrated ensemble with individual opportunities to shine. Two of the company are making their professional stage debuts, but this is cast that delivers like seasoned panto performers.
Reviewer: Howard Loxton