Unicorn theatre, London
Mosquitos, cats and smartly defined morals feature in a complex and well-crafted reimagining of the beloved tale
Remember the blue fairy that toy-maker Geppetto wishes on? Here, it’s plastered in feathers and frills and speaks in a spectacularly uneven American accent. Pinocchio wears blue dungarees and is played by a woman (with excellent movement work from a floppy-limbed Peyvand Sadeghian). The young boy’s conscience is reimagined as a buzzing mosquito and the whole thing is compered by Marmalade the Cat (a perfectly preening Susan Harrison).
Eve Leigh’s confident and eccentric adaptation has been given a bold and mature production. Most striking of all are Jean Chan’s design and costumes, which practically glow with life and character and purpose. Book pages have been plastered across the edges of the floor and the colourful frames that line the stage. The striking motif imbues the set with a humming feeling of spontaneity, but is also a clever nod to Carlo Collodi’s original novel and a reminder that his pages have been ripped up and drawn anew.
At Unicorn theatre, London, until 31 December.
