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Review: A Wondrous ‘Pinocchio’ With That ‘Lion King’ Magic Review: A Wondrous ‘Pinocchio’ With That ‘Lion King’ Magic
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — The most uncanny thing of all about the National Theater production of “Pinocchio” — a show that is wondrously strange from top to bottom — is how simple it appears. This may seem an unlikely characterization of an obviously expensive musical, replete with special effects that brim well over the edges of the National’s vast Lyttelton stage.LONDON — The most uncanny thing of all about the National Theater production of “Pinocchio” — a show that is wondrously strange from top to bottom — is how simple it appears. This may seem an unlikely characterization of an obviously expensive musical, replete with special effects that brim well over the edges of the National’s vast Lyttelton stage.
Yet this adaptation of the 1940 animated Walt Disney classic, directed by John Tiffany and designed by Bob Crowley, exudes the rough magic of a world that seems shaped, by hand and before your eyes, from rudimentary elements. Step ladders, strings and ropes, blocks of wood, the letters of the alphabet: Such is the basic visual vocabulary that is deployed to retell the familiar story of an existentially challenged puppet’s quest to become human.Yet this adaptation of the 1940 animated Walt Disney classic, directed by John Tiffany and designed by Bob Crowley, exudes the rough magic of a world that seems shaped, by hand and before your eyes, from rudimentary elements. Step ladders, strings and ropes, blocks of wood, the letters of the alphabet: Such is the basic visual vocabulary that is deployed to retell the familiar story of an existentially challenged puppet’s quest to become human.
In this regard, “Pinocchio” comes into being as if through the eyes of a child, whose gaze transforms the mundane into whatever the imagination (and perhaps the Jungian subconscious) wills. The show’s scale, too, is that of a little boy for whom the world looms dauntingly and tantalizingly large, where grown-ups appear as giants who are not entirely real. Or not as real, in any case, as a child’s own sovereign self.In this regard, “Pinocchio” comes into being as if through the eyes of a child, whose gaze transforms the mundane into whatever the imagination (and perhaps the Jungian subconscious) wills. The show’s scale, too, is that of a little boy for whom the world looms dauntingly and tantalizingly large, where grown-ups appear as giants who are not entirely real. Or not as real, in any case, as a child’s own sovereign self.
For while the marionette of the title is portrayed by a fully grown adult actor (the perfectly cast newcomer Joe Idris-Roberts), he is less than half the size of many of the figures with whom he shares the stage. That includes the artisan father who carved him into life, Geppetto (Mark Hadfield), and the mysterious, otherworldly guardian known as the Blue Fairy (Annette McLaughlin).For while the marionette of the title is portrayed by a fully grown adult actor (the perfectly cast newcomer Joe Idris-Roberts), he is less than half the size of many of the figures with whom he shares the stage. That includes the artisan father who carved him into life, Geppetto (Mark Hadfield), and the mysterious, otherworldly guardian known as the Blue Fairy (Annette McLaughlin).
Then there are those titanic, avaricious entrepreneurs — the traveling theater manager Stromboli (Gershwyn Eustache Jr.) and the child-herding Coachman (David Kirkbride) — who seek to exploit a miraculously sentient wooden puppet for personal profit. The heads of all these characters are as big as king-size beds, with immense gleaming eyes that feel both fathomless and opaque. Then there are those titanic, avaricious entrepreneurs — the traveling theater manager Stromboli (Gershwyn Eustache Jr.) and the child-herding Coachman (David Kirkbride) — who seek to exploit a miraculously sentient wooden puppet for personal profit. The heads of all these characters are as big as beds, with immense gleaming eyes that feel both fathomless and opaque.
In an inspired representational reversal, Mr. Tiffany and company have presented the play’s adult humans as puppets, manipulated by poles and borne on the shoulders of ensemble members, while the leading puppet is of flesh and blood. And Pinocchio’s coming-of-age becomes a tale of a little boy’s finding his proportionate place in a landscape that he doesn’t feel he fits into.In an inspired representational reversal, Mr. Tiffany and company have presented the play’s adult humans as puppets, manipulated by poles and borne on the shoulders of ensemble members, while the leading puppet is of flesh and blood. And Pinocchio’s coming-of-age becomes a tale of a little boy’s finding his proportionate place in a landscape that he doesn’t feel he fits into.
In other words, anyone who is either below the age of 12 or who ever had a childhood (and I know of no exceptions) is pretty much guaranteed to identify with this production’s title character.In other words, anyone who is either below the age of 12 or who ever had a childhood (and I know of no exceptions) is pretty much guaranteed to identify with this production’s title character.
Since it opened, “Pinocchio” has divided critics. Some reviewers have found the show too sinister and sophisticated for theatergoing tykes. But for me this show feels no darker — and certainly no less accessible — than the hit musical “Matilda” (adapted from Roald Dahl’s children’s novel) or the Broadway-bound London blockbuster “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”Since it opened, “Pinocchio” has divided critics. Some reviewers have found the show too sinister and sophisticated for theatergoing tykes. But for me this show feels no darker — and certainly no less accessible — than the hit musical “Matilda” (adapted from Roald Dahl’s children’s novel) or the Broadway-bound London blockbuster “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.”
As it happens, those formidable shows figure in the résumés of several of the creators of “Pinocchio.” Mr. Tiffany staged “Harry Potter,” and he has brought along his collaborator on that production, Steven Hoggett, as movement director here. The Disney-tweaking script, which incorporates elements from the 1883 Italian novel (by Collodi) that inspired the movie, is by Dennis Kelly, who did the book for “Matilda.”As it happens, those formidable shows figure in the résumés of several of the creators of “Pinocchio.” Mr. Tiffany staged “Harry Potter,” and he has brought along his collaborator on that production, Steven Hoggett, as movement director here. The Disney-tweaking script, which incorporates elements from the 1883 Italian novel (by Collodi) that inspired the movie, is by Dennis Kelly, who did the book for “Matilda.”
Mr. Kelly well understands that childhood innocence is neither as sweet nor as simple as sentimentalists would like to believe. But his “Pinocchio” is less didactic and censorious than the film and the novel. It’s not so much proper behavior that our renegade puppet has to learn as it is learning to feel the pain of others.Mr. Kelly well understands that childhood innocence is neither as sweet nor as simple as sentimentalists would like to believe. But his “Pinocchio” is less didactic and censorious than the film and the novel. It’s not so much proper behavior that our renegade puppet has to learn as it is learning to feel the pain of others.
Hewed from an enchanted block of wood by the lonely old widower Geppetto, our Pinocchio is a creature of unedited appetite and zero empathy. He is ravenous — for food, for experience, for the acceptance of his peers — and he scarcely thinks about the solicitous father who dotes upon him.Hewed from an enchanted block of wood by the lonely old widower Geppetto, our Pinocchio is a creature of unedited appetite and zero empathy. He is ravenous — for food, for experience, for the acceptance of his peers — and he scarcely thinks about the solicitous father who dotes upon him.
As in the Disney film, Pinocchio is endowed with a chirping conscience in the form of a sidekick insect. That’s Jiminy Cricket, who has undergone a gender change and is charmingly voiced by Audrey Brisson, a young alumna of Cirque du Soleil. Jiminy, too, has a puppet avatar, a shiny green creature somewhat bigger than a breadbox. (The marvelous puppetry director — and codesigner, with Mr. Crowley — is Toby Olié.)As in the Disney film, Pinocchio is endowed with a chirping conscience in the form of a sidekick insect. That’s Jiminy Cricket, who has undergone a gender change and is charmingly voiced by Audrey Brisson, a young alumna of Cirque du Soleil. Jiminy, too, has a puppet avatar, a shiny green creature somewhat bigger than a breadbox. (The marvelous puppetry director — and codesigner, with Mr. Crowley — is Toby Olié.)
The wily voice of temptation, the Fox, is suavely portrayed (sans artificial alter-ego) by David Langham, who wears cunning elevator boots, an immense tail and a long ombré coat that fashionistas would kill for. Pinocchio’s peers, both human children and the marionettes he meets on his travels, are embodied by merely life-size singers and dancers.The wily voice of temptation, the Fox, is suavely portrayed (sans artificial alter-ego) by David Langham, who wears cunning elevator boots, an immense tail and a long ombré coat that fashionistas would kill for. Pinocchio’s peers, both human children and the marionettes he meets on his travels, are embodied by merely life-size singers and dancers.
These include the rambunctious youngsters, led by the endearingly nasty Lampy (Dawn Sievewright), who are Pinocchio’s companions on that dubious paradise, Pleasure Island, where children are allowed to be as bad as they want to be. (In this version, Pinocchio is outfitted with a James Dean leather jacket, and he and his friends smoke, drink and exult in flatulence, that enduring staple of British hilarity.)These include the rambunctious youngsters, led by the endearingly nasty Lampy (Dawn Sievewright), who are Pinocchio’s companions on that dubious paradise, Pleasure Island, where children are allowed to be as bad as they want to be. (In this version, Pinocchio is outfitted with a James Dean leather jacket, and he and his friends smoke, drink and exult in flatulence, that enduring staple of British hilarity.)
If you’re familiar with “Pinocchio,” you know that these rabble rousers are destined to be transformed into donkeys. This metamorphosis occurs simply and convincingly, as does the amazing growth of Pinocchio’s nose whenever he tells a lie.If you’re familiar with “Pinocchio,” you know that these rabble rousers are destined to be transformed into donkeys. This metamorphosis occurs simply and convincingly, as does the amazing growth of Pinocchio’s nose whenever he tells a lie.
As in Mr. Tiffany’s “Harry Potter” production, such effects are achieved through purely theatrical means of prestidigitation, with an often bare stage mottled into multidimensionality by Paule Constable’s lighting. (Wait till you get a load of the whale that swallows Geppetto.) For my money, this “Pinocchio” is the most enchantingly and originally reimagined Disney film since Julie Taymor’s “The Lion King.”As in Mr. Tiffany’s “Harry Potter” production, such effects are achieved through purely theatrical means of prestidigitation, with an often bare stage mottled into multidimensionality by Paule Constable’s lighting. (Wait till you get a load of the whale that swallows Geppetto.) For my money, this “Pinocchio” is the most enchantingly and originally reimagined Disney film since Julie Taymor’s “The Lion King.”
Oh, I almost forgot the songs. Mostly, they’re the originals from the movie (by Leigh Harline, Ned Washington and Paul J. Smith, and lovingly recalibrated here by Martin Lowe), including the evergreen “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “I’ve Got No Strings.”Oh, I almost forgot the songs. Mostly, they’re the originals from the movie (by Leigh Harline, Ned Washington and Paul J. Smith, and lovingly recalibrated here by Martin Lowe), including the evergreen “When You Wish Upon a Star” and “I’ve Got No Strings.”
They are only occasionally given the kind of complete razzle-dazzle you associate with big musicals. Instead, they seem to sweep gently in and out of your awareness, as if on some teasing breeze of memory. That’s appropriate to a show that feels conjured from those dark corners of a child’s imagination that even grown-ups never entirely erase.They are only occasionally given the kind of complete razzle-dazzle you associate with big musicals. Instead, they seem to sweep gently in and out of your awareness, as if on some teasing breeze of memory. That’s appropriate to a show that feels conjured from those dark corners of a child’s imagination that even grown-ups never entirely erase.