Pinocchio at The Watermill – festive family fun at its best

Michael Morpurgo’s Pinocchio, adapted by Simon Reade, has plenty to keep a multi-generational audience entertained and to put them in the festive mood. There’s live music, dancing, singing, audience participation, a variety of puppets, an inventive, atmospheric set and costumes and much more. Despite the updating for a 21st century audience of this 142 year-old Pinocchio story and all the razzmatazz, the moral messages remain clear and celebrate difference and inclusivity as well a recognition of the strings that tie us to those we love.

Pinocchio (Jerome Yates) does an excellent job of conveying stiff puppet like movements, naivety and “the difficult business of growing up.” The opening scene showing the origins of the cherry tree from which Pinocchio will be carved is particularly eye-catching and entertaining. The rope light, umbrella cherry tree and the watering-can pig puppet who poos especially delighted the children in the audience.

The use of a variety of puppets – the woodpeckers who peck off Pinocchio’s very long and impressive nose, the tea-pot chickens, the weasels, the very ‘woke’ Punch and Judy show all add to the fun with the latter offering an opportunity for a ‘he’s behind you’ joke.

One of the most dramatic sequences is the shadow puppet show of Pinocchio being swallowed by a whale. This is followed by a massive magical lantern whale which glides around the stage.

The set really creates an authentic woodland setting for Pinocchio’s adventures with real trees, leaves, soil. The Watermill team worked with tree surgeons in order to source trees that were about to be cut down due to die-back or for coppicing and they are on stage. Geppetto’s workshop is also constructed from reclaimed wood. Recycling is key to the production with the puppets being created from things you may have around your home and garden and the costumes made from existing Watermill costumes.

Apart from Pinocchio and the onstage musical director (Simon David) the other six cast members (Afia Abusham, Christopher Bianchi, Fred Double, Lottie Latham, Eddy Payne, Jacoba Williams) play multiple roles with ease and show their skill with puppetry. Much of the storyline is told through song with the repetition in the songs making it accessible to the younger members of the audience. (The Watermill advertises the show as being suitable for children over 4 years old). There was also enough in the script to raise a few laughs from the adults such as “It’s hard being a parent isn’t it?” and mention of the world of work with “team day away, pensions and power points.”

Marlborough.news attended a Sunday matinée performance at 15.00. There had already been an earlier performance at 11am. Many in the audience had taken advantage of a pre or post theatre meal in the restaurant. What a lovely family day out!

Pinocchio runs until January 5. To book tickets and to reserve a table in the restaurant click here.