Pinocchio - The Watermill Theatre REVIEW

This year’s festive family production at The Watermill Theatre brought Pinocchio to life in a captivating and whimsical way. I attended with 12-year-old Emily, a passionate young theatre enthusiast, who helped me craft this review—because who better to evaluate a seasonal show’s magic than its target audience?

The cast of seven displayed excellent teamwork, portraying larger-than-life characters that kept children wide-eyed throughout. Although the vocal performances weren’t the strongest, the lively acting more than compensated.

Emily observed, “I think they were all very good actors. I especially enjoyed Christopher Bianchi. He was hilarious when he got his lines wrong and did the salsa dancing. He made his character really lovable.”

The songs were cleverly composed, featuring catchy rhythms and witty lyrics with a nursery rhyme charm.

From the moment you step into the Watermill’s cosy foyer, the magic begins. The venue’s intimate atmosphere, enhanced by detailed set design, creates the perfect setting for Geppetto’s woodland cottage. Emily said: The set design was interesting due to the intricate details but it could have been more interactive. 

Marc Parrett’s puppetry added another layer of enchantment. The puppets, ranging from animals to insects, were full of personality and expertly animated by the cast. Emily particularly enjoyed the puppets: “The puppetry was lovely, and the actors really brought the characters to life. My favourite was the cricket because he was so animated.”

This production offers more than the familiar Disney storyline. It includes Pinocchio’s full adventures, from planting gold coins, circus escapades, magical mishaps, and, of course, the dramatic whale encounter. The plot is engaging enough to hold even the shortest attention spans, though a few narrative threads felt unresolved.

Despite some minor shortcomings, Pinocchio at The Watermill is a creative, exciting, and glorious family experience. Emily rates it four stars and enthusiastically recommends it: “I would recommend that people see this show. I thought it was a very creative, exciting, interactive, funny show.”