PINOCCHIO at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

★★★★

“an eye-popping, feel-good extravaganza”

Theatre Royal Stratford East leads its audience on a magical mystery tour with its vibrant retelling of the Pinocchio story, blessed with neon colours, funky beats – and a fairy to die for.

Sizzling with energy and dressed like an atompunk seaside arcade, this classic tale of the wooden puppet who wants to be a real boy has zip and a dazzling bubblegum aesthetic thanks to set and costume designer Stewart J Charlesworth, who deserves to take the applause alongside the admirable cast.

The story, under the direction of Omar F Okai, draws directly from Italian writer Carlo Collodi’s 1883 classic.

Pinocchio, a mischievous wooden puppet carved by the kind-hearted Geppetto, comes to life. He is impulsive and rebellious, leading him into a series of misadventures. He runs away, skipping school to attend a puppet show. He is soon swindled by the deceitful Sly Fox and Miss Cat, who convince him to gamble away his money.

He joins a group of troublemakers who take him to Playland where he is transformed into a donkey and sold to a circus. After a series of humiliations, Pinocchio is thrown into the sea and swallowed by a shark. Who Pinocchio meets inside the shark finally persuades the puppet to change his ways.

Playland, a chicken farm, a shark’s belly, a workshop, a dark circus – what a confection of opportunities for set design, lighting, choreography and fun.

Everything relies on the winning power and prowess of Pinocchio and Dylan Collymore delivers, with disco moves, soulful tones and a cheeky presence. The music, courtesy of Trish Cooke and Robert Hyman, calls on an eclectic range of global styles and puts everyone through their paces.

The cast is gleeful and charming. Special mention to crowd pleasers Nicole Louise Lewis as Krik Krak (“I say Krik, you say Krak”) and jolly jack of all trades Tok Morakinyo who turns up all over the place in different guises.

Saving the best till last though, cutting through the sugar-rush flim-flam is veteran Michael Bertenshaw as the Blue Rinse Fairy who has sharpened his vaudeville stylings and dry badinage into a formidable comic weapon. With his sardonic eye rolls and wry world weariness, his exasperation might go over the heads of the little ones, but he speaks directly to the grown-ups.

While the exuberant cast sweat buckets in elaborate street-smart dance routines, laconic Bertenshaw merely needs to deadpan to the stalls to have us all in hysterics.

Minor quibbles: the story is picaresque and episodic so it’s easy to lose track of progress; and the evil pair of Fox and Cat could indulge in more obvious crowd-riling villainy – giving everyone more opportunities to boo. Still, the dance numbers landed, the storytelling was upbeat, and everyone left the theatre cheerfully singing a refrain about believing in themselves. Job done.

What an eye-popping, feel-good extravaganza.

PINOCCHIO at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

Reviewed on 30th November 2024

by Giles Broadbent

Photography by Craig Fuller

Previously reviewed at this venue:

WONDER BOY | ★★★★ | October 2024

ABIGAIL’S PARTY | ★★★★ | September 2024

NOW, I SEE | ★★★★ | May 2024

CHEEKY LITTLE BROWN | ★★★½ | April 2024

THE BIG LIFE | ★★★★★ | February 2024

BEAUTIFUL THING | ★★★★★ | September 2023

PINOCCHIO

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CHEEKY LITTLE BROWN at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

★★★ ½

“a grower of a piece whose meaning lingers after it’s done”

Described by writer Nkenna Akunna as ‘an ode to your early twenties’, ‘cheeky little brown’ follows Lady, played by Tiajna Amayo, for a night on the town as she attempts to reconnect with recently estranged childhood friend – Gemma – with indications there may have been something more than friendship.

Lady is a pretty complex character. At times she is an uncomfortably hateful extrovert – commanding attention at Gemma’s birthday party whilst dismissing her friends and housemates. Yet we see from Tiajna Amayo’s deft performance how much of this bravado is a front for the deep rejection she feels. The occasional glimpse of a low, inward facing moment is accompanied by subtle lighting cues under Jodie Underwood’s direction, drawing you in to consider what’s left unsaid.

Whilst it’s at the party that we get to know Lady and her quirks, the piece really comes into its own in the second half when Amayo’s Lady leaves the party and is in a more reflective mood on the night bus home. After the highly-strung antics which result in an explosion of glittering vomit (to the delight of the audience) a laid-back Lady emerges.

Amayo gamely steps in to voice other characters Lady encounters on her way. She affects an exaggerated laid back drawl for Jessie, one of Gemma’s posh, uni friends, and a bang on Nigerian Auntie, berating her for being out so late. Amayo switches between characters with ease. Extra credit must also be given to her also for continuing to indulge in much of Chinonyerem Odimba’s direction despite the use of crutches adopted after an injury in rehearsals.

‘cheeky little brown’s’ considered aesthetic is perfectly matched to the drama. Set by Aldo Vazquez packs a punch from gold streamers and two-foot-tall, hot pink balloon letters spelling out ‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY GURRRL’. Balloons are a key ingredient for other moments too, to great effect. The sound design is equally impressive, with a rich auditory landscape of techno beats through to birdsong meaning Amayo never seems lonely on the stage.

The few musical numbers unfortunately lack creativity. The melodies are not memorable nor the lyrics particularly clever – but Amayo does a good job working with what she’s given. What the songs are successful at is emphasising Lady’s extroverted tendencies, thereby building her character.

It’s a character we are still left questioning as the curtain falls. Back at home she vomits again… and again… and it slowly starts becoming clear that there’s more than just heartbreak ailing Lady, hiding in plain sight.

‘cheeky little brown’ is a grower of a piece whose meaning lingers after it’s done. With cleverly subtle writing and direction, fun design and a confident performance from Tiajna Amayo it’s a specifically contemporary piece that explores young, black, queer love and mental health in a surprisingly light-hearted and fun way.

Tag Archives: Craig Fuller

PINOCCHIO

★★★★

Theatre Royal Stratford East

PINOCCHIO at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

★★★★

“an eye-popping, feel-good extravaganza”

PINOCCHIO at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

Reviewed on 30th November 2024