Steve Tiplady one time artistic director of the Little Angel Puppet theatre, was inspired to create his production of Pinocchio by his own son and it is a show he has performed many times. The stage is set as a carpenter's workshop, complete with bench and tools. He opens with a warm-up chat, moving from the pretence of being a stage hand tweaking the props, into the character of Gepetto, giving plenty of opportunity for audience participation in the banter. The story of a wooden puppet who longs to be a real boy and the carpenter who longs to be a real father is re-crafted for a contemporary audience with all the traditional elements in tact, and a nod to what children long for in the modern world. DS consoles, dinosaurs and remote control cars are put to the back of everyone's minds as Gepetto conjures the puppet from a block of wood. The head of Pinocchio emerges from a log before our eyes in a move akin to the birth of a child and his adventure begins. The attachment of the head to a wooden box 'chest' and broken chair legs to complete the ensemble is both humorous and life-like. The challenge of a new parent learning how to settle his child to sleep raises a few smiles amongst the adults. The quick response from the children to 'tell him a story and sing him a song' leads into the tale of Pinocchio's first day at school, an encounter with a fox (the workshop sweeping brush), and the temptation to run away with the circus. We see Gepetto and Pinocchio deal with their fate when they find themselves swallowed by a shark. The dramatisation of the ship wreck, life at the sea bed, and the jaws of the shark, is masterful. All created using the carpentry workshop tools back lit in shadow this sequence delighted the audience with exclamations of 'how did they do that' coming from the children. The snarling saw jaws of the shark are particularly impressive. 

With live music accompaniment on guitar and banjo, Tiplady's natural directness with the children in the audience is wholly engaging. There are lots of jokes, no 'talking down' and a ready acceptance of the illusions of puppetry.

Pinocchio By Indefinite Articles, age 4+

Bryony Hegarty

Forthcoming shows at the Little Angel include

Aladdin

By Indigo Moon Theatre, age 4+


Dates and times: 19th – 23rd Oct



The Gingerbread Man HALF TERM SHOW

By The Rainbow Collectors, age 5+

Tues 25 – Fri 28 October at 11am and 2pm daily


Coming soon for Christmas…

A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings
Goldilocks

From 4-6 November Steve Tiplady and Indefinite Articles are performing PENUMBRA: a wry discourse on the effects of desire and decay for ages 16+ at the SUSPENSE London Puppetry Festival see website for details: www.suspensefestival.com

Find more information for the Little Angel in our Full Listings - click here