Pinocchio

Pinocchio sits just outside the core of the pantomime favourites; there are occasional productions, but they are not particularly common.  However, WTG made a good choice with this one.

David Swan’s entertaining script has the advantage of staging the entire first act in a single set that of the toy section of a large department store, where Pinocchio’s creator, Gepetto (Tim Bebbington well cast and in fine voice) is the toy maker.  Something is not-quite-right in the store, and there’s an undercover detective investigating.  This was Grazia, well played by Holly Lennie, who becomes the romantic interest of the lift boy Jimmy Crankit. For this role WTG found an excellent principal boy in young India Barton, who gave a fine, confident performance, combining well-timed delivery with some skilfull interacting with the audience.  Grazia and Jimmy discover - a little late - that the department store owner Signor Verruca (Jordan Marston in fine form) is the villain who is, with his henchmen (henchcreatures?) Fungus the Fox (Caroline Turnbull) and Maggot the Cat (played by Jess Wildman), turning children into stuffed toys.  This duo were absolutely marvellous.  They threw themselves into the roles totally and their make up was brilliant.

This brings us onto another of the principal roles: Rob Barton using a well-maintained cod-Italian accent and displaying great taste in frocks as Mama Scrumpi. a larger-than-life former movie star, now running a stage school and pursuing Gepetto.  The children in her theatre school were the ones targeted by the kidnappers - with the subterfuge of luring them away to a career in Hollywood.  

To the rescue come Grazia, Jimmy, Gepetto and Mama Scrumpi, but it is Pinocchio, brought to life by Sapphire The Blue Fairy (well-played by young Ruby Chambers) who eventually saves the day.  

The most important character is, of course, Pinocchio himself, and young Tayler Quarrie made an excellent job of the animated, slightly awkward wooden boy, filled with knowledge but with no experience of the world.  He did not put a foot wrong throughout the show.

There was good interaction with the audience from all principals and everything moved along at a good pace, broadly followed the traditional ‘Pinocchio’ story, with a good number of enjoyable digressions. 

The singing and the chorus movement were good and the scene with the four principal characters in the gondola singing Island in the Stream was much enhanced by a lively performance from a very young Gondolier who not only knew all the words but a few good moves as well.

Lighting was good given the facilities and the “Raffia” sound effects were  always spot on cue.  Costumes were great and very colourful and all the make-up was extremely well done. 

WTG tend not to choose “run of the mill” pantomimes having recently performed Batman the Panto and Frankenstein the Panto.  Pinocchio is not in the same vein but certainly isn’t run of the mill.  Congratulations to cast, director Alan Marston, Musical Director Tim Brown and Choreographer Emily Starr: clearly, a lot of time and energy from many people had gone into staging this Pantomime.  Congratulations to all involved - it was a really fun evening. 

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.