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Show: Pinocchio
Society: London (professional shows)
Venue: King's Head Theatre
Credits: John Savournin and David Eaton
Type: Sardines
Author: Chris Abbott
Performance Date: 05/12/2016
Pinocchio
Chris Abbott | 06 Dec 2016 09:34am
l-r: John Savournin, Matthew R J Ward, Joshua Da Costa. Photo: Bill Knight
There are quite a number of pantomimes in pubs in the London area this year, and it is only right that the oldest pub theatre of them all, the King’s Head in Islington, should be included in their number. Resident company Charles Court Opera’s production of Pinocchio is their tenth boutique panto and fully lives up to the description.
It is a surprisingly traditional production in many ways, including many pantomime jokes, sometimes delivered rather ponderously, but within a good-natured and committed production that succeeds through the hard work of the cast. As in all pantomimes, the audience work hard too and on this occasion it was they who were guilty of overacting, with the theatre full of friends and supporters for the press night, laughing uproariously and shooting baleful glares at anyone with a notebook.
With spirited accompaniment from arranger and lyricist David Eaton, joined by Dave Jennings on drums, John Savournin’s production knows exactly what it is about and never outstays its welcome, coming in at less than two hours including the interval, during which ice-creams were rather desperately sold to an audience more likely to head for the bar. As would be expected of this company, the singing is of a high standard and it was a joy to hear an entire performance without amplification.
All the expected panto references are there, from Trump (peremptorily ejected from a window and later giving his name to a very effective dogfish puppet) to Brexit, and I loved the minimal start to the UV scene with one tiny fish. Popular songs of yesteryear with new lyrics are the order of the day, and particularly effective was the rewriting of Eleanor Rigby so that it became Jiminy Cricket. And if there was any doubt that this could only be a pantomime in Islington, this was dispelled when we got to a songsheet that included the words gluten-free and kale, and managed to rhyme spirulina with quinoa.
Against the functional if rather colourless set, the costumes from Mia Wallden were inventive and witty, and added greatly to the whole performance, especially the superb Snail and some clever use of detailing on hats, clearly signposting character without the need of face masks. She even managed to provide at least a partial change of costume for the walk-down (perhaps that should be sidle-on with a stage this small).
As Jiminy Cricket, it fell to Matthew R G Ward to start the show and warm-up the audience with his flea circus – cleverly animated although the fleas would be more visible if they were a very difficult colour than their props. Although sometimes over-shadowed by some of the more exuberant characters, this was a quietly effective performance and it is likely that a child audience will identify with him as he battles his adversaries.
As Phineas Fox, Robin Bailey commanded the stage and gave a pacy and committed performance and can deliver the jokes, although the script didn’t make it clear at first whether we were supposed to support him or boo. Joshua Da Costa’s Pinocchio was a rather more sympathetic portrayal of the character than is sometimes offered and with little of the puppet’s usual pride or boastfulness. Da Costa managed to provide an endearing portrayal and operate his growing (and in this production, shrinking) nose very effectively.
John Savournin played El Tabasco (a cicada) as well as directing, mugging gamely throughout and quite properly engaging with the audience. He is an impressive pantomime performer but also sensibly ensures that he plays off the rest of the cast rather than in any way overpowering them. The Taco bake-off scene with an audience volunteer taking part worked well, as did the battle with the audience that followed. Tabasco even follows pantomime tradition by undergoing redemption at the end, foreswearing chilis and turning to vanilla beans.
The two female members of the cast have the best costumes and the most outlandish parts, and both are very entertaining (and I hope I have these the right way round; the programme does not list the parts played, just the cast). As the Spanish Wish Chicken (surely a part made for pantomime) Nichola Jolley goes completely over the top to great effect although she does not appear until the second half. From the moment she emerged from her egg, the whole production stepped up a gear and the whole cast moved into the necessarily anarchic spirit that defines pantomime.
As Michelle the Snail, shuffling slowly across the stage or through the auditorium with a pained expression on her face, Francesca Fenech was a delight. The part is well-written and plays a significant role, but could have been far less effective without such a clever actor playing it, and for me this was the performance of the night. This is, however, a truly ensemble show and the ideal night out for Islington residents who are fearful of the way the world is heading and wish to spend an hour or two reliving their childhood.
- : admin
- : 05/12/2016