The Adventures Of Pinocchio

REVIEW: The Adventures Of Pinocchio, Greenwich Theatre ✭✭✭✭✭

Christian James is a wonderful Pinocchio. He completely captures the sense of the character's otherness and separation (being living wood) as well as a newcomer's desire to explore and a child's desire to rebel. The sequence where he learns about lying and his nose growing is genuinely delightful, as is the way he quickly shaves off his extra growth before Gepetto's return. Bronagh Lagan has presided over an excellent production of an interesting and involving musical which provides a fresh, but refreshingly old-fashioned approach to the entertainment and stimulation of (especially) young minds. You leave wanting -desperately - to be able to bring youngsters to more theatre just like this.