Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham – until 30th December 2025
Reviewed by Emma Millward
5*****
The Old Joint Stock Theatre’s festive production of Pinocchio is an inventive and warmly delivered reimagining of Carlo Collodi’s classic tale of the little wooden boy. The production is perfectly suited to the venue’s intimate setting and immediately benefits from the close proximity between performers and audience. In a space as compact as the Old Joint Stock, this could easily feel limiting, but instead it enhances the sense of involvement and playfulness. Before the show even began, the five performers appeared and interacted with the audience, showing the children the various musical instruments they would use during the show. This added a lovely informal start to proceedings.
The show follows Pinocchio’s (Jasmine Metcalfe) familiar journey as an impulsive and inquisitive puppet that comes to life after being carved from a wooden log by Geppetto (Miyu Potin-Sawada). As Pinocchio prepares to attend his first day at School he meets many characters along the way. He comes across a cat (Caoimhe De Brun) and a Fox (Morwenna Brown) who trick him into meeting the Puppetmaster (Miyu Potin-Sawada) who locks Pinocchio in a cage. Pinocchio is helped by The Girl with Azure Hair (Caoimhe De Brun) who discovers Pinocchio’s nose grows when he tells a lie, which he then uses to unlock the cage. Throughout the show, a mysterious storyteller called Jim (Edie Milton Williams) offers guidance to Pinocchio, as well as telling others about the wooden boy.
The cast of five performers is small, but perfectly formed. They portray multiple roles without any confusion. Their performances are confident and full of charm. Pinocchio himself is portrayed with a naive and gentle nature, while the other characters bring lots of humour. The cast’s evident enjoyment creates a lively and engaging experience for the audience. Writer/Composer Holly Mallett’s intention to connect the story to nature is evident throughout, from the recurring wooden imagery to the beautifully crafted wooden stage area, which also serves as the backdrop for the Old Joint Stock Theatre’s other Christmas show It’s A Wonderful Knife- Christmas Dundee. Musical elements add a magical edge to the production. The folk-inspired songs are lively and played by the performers on a variety of instruments.
George P Martin’s set design choices are imaginative and well-judged. Without elaborate sets, the show uses props and physical storytelling to take us into Pinocchio’s world, particularly in the more fantastical sequences. This approach encourages audience imagination to fill in the gaps. Martin’s costumes are also exquisite, and really add to the whole feel of the story. The puppets (directed by Ellie Begley) used throughout are inventive. Ranging from tiny marionette puppets, shadow puppets and a beautifully crafted donkey that the children in the front row especially enjoyed getting to meet up-close. Pinocchio is depicted as a traditional wood-carved puppet, with visible wood grain and movable limbs. Jasmine Metcalfe’s puppetry skills are outstanding at portraying how Pinocchio is feeling as he moves about the whole theatre, interacting with the cast and audience alike. The only flaw I could possibly point out, is that the puppet was initially a little unsettling for the very young children sitting near me, but they were soon captivated by the performance.
Overall, Pinocchio at the Old Joint Stock Theatre is a heart-warming and joyous festive offering. With humour, imagination, and warmth at its core, Director Emily Susanne Lloyd and Writer Holly Mallett have succeeded in capturing the magic of a beloved story without relying on spectacle. For audiences seeking a thoughtfully staged, engaging, and thoroughly enjoyable Christmas experience in Birmingham, Pinocchio is worth a visit this Christmas season.