PINOCCHIO
Directed by Angela Downes
NODA Review
It is nice to see something different at
Christmas time and this was splendid. This is a fairy
story, of course, but with quite a few messages which, it
is to be hoped, were not lost of the young, capacity
audience. It is quite a difficult play to see and I was
interested to see how the company handled the change from
log to boy, the growing nose and the whale. I need not have
worried. I blinked and missed the metamorphosis as it was
so slick. The nose lengthening was brilliantly done and the
inside of the whale was a wonder of scenic design.
Russell Ditchfield gave a lovely performance as Pinocchio
and Oliver Garner, as the mischief making Lampwick was
excellent. Russell could easily have been overshadowed by
the more boisterous Oliver but, due to careful direction by
Angela Downes and John Johnston, this was not allowed to
happen and we were treated to two delightful performances.
Edward Baldwin Gepetto was a joy to watch and Ben Mayo's
Mr. Cricket superb.
What can I say about the two sly, sneaking, conniving
feline characterisations by Siobhan Edge and Ann Craik -
brilliant - with make-up to match! I thoroughly enjoyed
Peter Calley as the High Court Judge; he would have done
Trial By Jury proud.
Chorus and dancers entered wholeheartedly into the
production and costumes, lighting and set design enhanced
the whole show.
Congratulations also to young Scott Warburton on keyboard.
And the final touch, the lovely puppet of Pinocchio hanging
side of stage. A wonderful evening.
