Images of Pinocchio danced across the giant screen in the Margaret Prior Hall as the audience came in. The story of the world’s most famous puppet was about to unfold, told by some very confident young performers. Weeks of drama workshops and rehearsals bore fruit in an ambitious and innovative production, with pupils as young as Year 3 taking major roles.

All children from Years 3, 4, 5, and 6 were involved in their production of 'Pinocchio', an adaptation of the original Italian story, which is a somewhat darker story than the well-known Disney version. This production, devised and directed by Arnold Drenth, was performed towards the end of the Lent term in the Margaret Prior Hall.

Dazzling blue hair!

The well-known characters of this nineteenth-century children’s classic – Pinocchio the boy-puppet, his father Papa Joe, his guardian Blue Fairy, the Fox and the Cat who lead him astray, the Talking Cricket whose counsel he ignores, and his good friend Larry Lazybones who shows him the way to Paradise Park – were shared between performers from Year 3 to Year 6.

Distinctive costumes identified these characters – glittery blue wigs, a white cane for the not-so-blind cat, wooden arms and legs made from cardboard tubes – making the story easy to follow.

Henry at the keyboard

The audience sat on three sides of the thrust stage, with performers waiting and listening intently for their cues on benches behind them. Henry D. from Year 7 provided musical atmospherics via keyboard, while a percussion ensemble added dramatic sound effects.

Clip-clop!

The children gave us some memorable scenes: Pinocchio emerging from his brown paper wrapping as if carved from a piece of wood, and learning to walk and run; the landlord of the Red Lobster serving up a lavish meal; the coach drawn by donkeys arriving to take Larry and yes, Pinocchio, to Paradise Park, the painful transformation into donkeys, and ‘the puppet’ doing an honest day’s work to support his Papa.

Super chef?

Original drawings from the first book publication of Collodi’s story, projected on screen as the story progressed, suggested some of the more extraordinary incidents – being swallowed by a giant shark, a cortege of four large funereal black rabbits, Pinocchio burning his feet off, and being hanged from a tree. These macabre, original elements were much enjoyed by the children!

Perhaps the most striking scene was Paradise Park itself, crowded with children, playing with abandon the kinds of games children have played for centuries. ‘Two delightful evenings watching the antics of Pinocchio … highly entertaining’


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