Shakespeare’s Globe’s new family musical adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s Pinocchio, directed by Sean Holmes, offers a lively and heartwarming take on the classic tale. The production, with book and lyrics by Charlie Josephine and music by Jim Fortune, prioritises humour and emotional lessons over the original novel’s darker elements. The story follows Geppetto, an inventor in a narrow-minded Italian town, who crafts a talking puppet named Pinocchio, only for the puppet to embark on a series of adventures driven by curiosity rather than wickedness.
The cast of 14 delivers energetic performances, with three puppeteers animating Peter O’Rourke’s simple wooden design. Lee Braithwaite voices Pinocchio with wild wonder, while Nick Holder plays Geppetto with humour and heart. Standout performances include Kerry Frampton and Lucy McCormick as the dastardly Fox and Cat, and Steven Webb as the campy Giacomo Cricket and the terrifying Coachman. The ensemble excels in Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu’s inventive choreography and delivers soaring harmonies.
Fortune’s songs span rock’n’roll, ska, pop, and blues, with witty and poignant lyrics, though some are too fast and complex to decipher. The production leans into Collodi’s barminess, including a chicken emerging from a cooked egg, and plays with the Globe’s collapsible fourth wall, with meta-theatrical jabs at the audience. A key addition is Geppetto’s transformation from a nervous caregiver to a fully fledged father, underscoring the theme that human connection defines us.
