Cumbernauld Theatre festive show 2024: Pinocchio
Written Gary McNair | Directed by Laila Noble | with Music by Brian James O'Sullivan
Cumbernauld Theatre | 14 December 2024 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Pinocchio is a small wooden puppet who lives in a remote cabin in the woods with his overprotective grandma Gepetta. Gepetta is a talented carpenter who made Pinocchio out of magic wood. But Pinocchio is fed up being confined to the the woodshed - he wants to be a real boy and he wants to go outside! But if Pinocchio goes outside, the enchantment that allows him to move and think independently will stop working. What will happen if Pinocchio dares defy his Grandma's warning?
Although Gary McNair and Laila Noble's original Pinocchio panto-play for Cumbernauld Theatre is based on Carla's Collodi's novel and characters, and the subsequent Disney animated classic, this story is unique. The central theme of a puppet naively venturing out into the real world and getting into all sorts of scrapes and adventures remains the core of the story, but this Pinocchio has been relocated from Italy to the Scottish town of Timbernauld, and has been given a few Scottish twists and some festive panto flair along the way.
Pinocchio at Cumbernauld is not explicitly advertised as a pantomime, but the fact that it's on in the weeks leading up to Christmas and aimed at audiences aged 7 and over lends itself to a few traditional panto tropes.
Gepetta (Cole Stewart), although much more refined than your traditional, boisterous panto dame, is nevertheless a man in a dress, who cracks jokes and speaks directly with the audience. Cole Stewart is a revelation! His Grandma Gepetta is a stunning creation, with a calming aura and soothing voice, she emits warm, welcoming, cosy vibes - sort of as if Nigella Lawson was a carpenter, who wanted to tell you a heartwarming fairytale.
This show is full of genuinely hilarious jokes and creative characters (I loved the dinosaur. Yes a dinosaur, in Pinocchio - it's Christmas, anything goes.) Pinocchio has a few other nods to panto too with one or two opportunities for the kids to shout 'he's behind you' but other than that, it's simply a beautiful, musical play with a story that (with a few tweaks) could be staged at any time of the year. And it should be.
Brian James O'Sullivan's music features regularly, and every song is a winner. Upbeat, joyful and completely original, the songs in Pinocchio are charming. And they're performed by a four-strong cast of exceptional quality.
Julia Murray's Pinocchio is a bright, amiable, innocent character and a fantastic protagonist for the audience to cheer on. Caitlin Forbes' Mozart the dog is a deadpan delight. In this version of the tale, there's no Jiminy Cricket, rather we have 'Hingwy the cricket' who Stephanie MacGaraidh brings to life with boundless energy.
Forbes and MacGaraidh both play a variety of other roles in the show too, and together with Murray and Stewart, the foursome work their socks off to entertain the crowd relentlessly. The cast are all so enthusiastic and charismatic, their singing voices powerful and their harmonies exceptional. This is an outstanding cast.
Fraser Lappin's set design looks deceptively simple but it provides all the locations and interest we need without overcrowding the stage. Given that the majority of the show is based in a wooden shed, it could've looked all too brown, but an effort has been made to add candy-striped colours to the walls and floors to add a little more gaiety to the authentic setting.
Bursts of colour come from the fab costumes and props too. Of course given the limited budget, we are often asked to use our imaginations, but it's all done with good-humour that doesn't shy away from the fact that there is absolutely no means for special effects here. Frankly, I enjoyed the simplicity of it; it's reminiscent of good old fashioned playtime. The kids in the audience seemed to be on side and keen to use their imaginations. It's all part of learning about the magic of theatre.
Pinocchio does run a little long, particularly in Act One the story does begin to drag and the audience becomes impatient for Pinocchio to "just go outside already!" Please pay attention to the age guidance - there's no bad language or adult themes here, but much younger children will become restless and may be better suited with a traditional wacky panto or Cumbernauld's other festive offering Special Delivery.
I loved the story arc in this version of Pinocchio, and the twist at the end is as genius as it is logical. This is clever, imaginative writing as we've come to expect from Gary McNair.
Cumbernauld's Pinocchio is a refreshing change from all the Cinderellas and Peter Pans that are ubiquitous in our theatres at this time of year. It's a beautiful, original piece of theatre that deserves to live on beyond this festive period. The songs, the jokes, the story, the cast and the creative team here are all too good to pack away with the Christmas decorations. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
✨ Pinocchio is at Cumbernauld Theatre now until Sunday 29 December 2024 ✨
🎅 Also on now at Cumbernauld Theatre: Special Delivery is a gorgeous festive musical show for ages 3-7.
MORE: Find Lisa in the Theatre on Instagram @lisa_inthetheatre and Twitter / X @Lisa_Theatre
Pinocchio Cast
Julia Murray - Pinocchio
Cole Stewart - Gepetta
Stephanie MacGaraidh - Hingwy, George & others
Caitlin Forbes - Mozart, Fairy Godmother & others
Pinocchio Creative Team
Writer – Gary McNair
Director – Laila Noble
Composer – Brian James O’Sullivan
Set & Costume Designer – Fraser Lappin
Lighting Designer - Katharine Williams
A Cumbernauld Theatre Company Production | Executive Producer: Ken Alexander
📸 production photos: Mihaela Bodlovic
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