Stan Middleton as Puppeteer, Lee Braithwaite as Pinocchio and Nick Holder as Geppetto in Pinocchio at Shakespeare’s Globe, London. Picture: Johan Persson
Pinocchio continues at Shakespeare’s Globe, London until 4 January 2026.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
This sassy, poignant, funny and beautifully staged new version of Carlo Collodi’s time honoured Pinocchio – with book and lyrics by Charlie Josephine and music and lyrics by Jim Fortune – is the best children’s show I’ve seen this year.
From the moment the five-piece band (seated on the upper level), led by MD Benjamin Holder, strikes up with a gloriously folksy melody you know you’re in for a treat and sit up a bit straighter.
And we’re clearly in Italy. The text is cheerfully studded with “bellissimo”, “prego” and “ciao”. When, shortly after the opening number, the audience was addressed as “poor people like you”, one small child, at the performance I saw, shouted back “We’re not poor” and made everybody laugh.
The atmosphere is warm and inclusive as the cast of 16 makes full use of the Globe’s large stage and exploits its unique acoustic so that every word can be heard clearly – including delights such as “Geppetto” rhymed with “libretto”.
The Pinocchio puppet is assembled in stages, first as a few sticks, and eventually as the familiar little figure in a pointy hat. He is perfectly voiced by Lee Braithwaite, with Aya Nakamura and Andrea Sadler demonstrating superb puppetry skills.
Ed Gaughan is hilarious as Franzini, the theatre manager, who wants to exploit Pinocchio. He addresses the Globe audience and tells them home truths about themselves and I was still chuckling when I left the theatre.
Nick Holder is terrific as Geppetto, the impoverished, long suffering and very human creator of the challenging puppet who longs to be a real boy but is continuously distracted by tricksters and his own lack of determination.
The ensemble is splendid: singing, dancing, managing puppets such as fish and birds, and between them creating many other enjoyable roles.
Amongst these the talented Steven Webb is outstanding as a camp, tap dancing Giacomo Cricket, clad in duck egg blue complete with Elizabethan ruff. His body appears to be made of rubber and his throwaway line “Globe innit?” is one of the funniest moments in the show. In Act II he morphs into a slimy coachman, with greasy tendrils, singing a patter song and ill treating donkeys. Fabulous work.
One of the best things about this fine show is the musical variety. There is nothing samey about these songs. The Blue Fairy’s blues number, for example, contrasts with folk-style melodies and tunes which could have been by Bob Chilcott.
Directed by Sean Holmes, it’s an excellent piece of theatre by any standards. Catch it if you possibly can.
Susan Elkin
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