FringeReview Scotland 2024
Pinocchio
Cumbernauld Theatre Company
Genre: Theatre
Venue: Cumbernauld Theatre at Lantern House
Festival: FringeReview Scotland
Low Down
Though heavy on exposition it pings away like a persistent emailer with tightly formed gags and musical tours de force. Directed with precision due to their small cast – only four – this is a panto that is equal to anything elsewhere. Highly creative with a number of set pieces held within an impressive set that make it a delight to sit and watch.
Review
Clicketty the Dolphin (played by Stephanie MacGaraidh), Pinocchio (played by Julia Murray) and a seagull (played by Caitlin Forbes).
credit Mihaela Bodlovic
Cumbernauld Theatre Company, out in the sticks, have managed to put together something delightful, with the love of panto at its core. The script, by Gary McNair, has updates Pinocchio with a new version, touching upon more modern concerns.
There are, nevertheless, the usual tropes for Pinocchio as a boy who is different and hopeful of becoming “real”; who wants to go outside but is not allowed to. The denouement cleverly deals with why Gepetta wants him to stay within. And so, the first issue is Geppetto is now Geppetta, which in the context of the current gender political landscape seems in itself to be a nod to where we are. Of course, Geppetta, played by Cole Stewart, does make reference to this and it is managed with a wry smile, a nod to modernity and a wink as a warning not to take a huge sledgehammer to knock home the point.
McNair’s writing does, in the first act, tend to be a little expository leading to the pace being slower than you would hope and could do with being a little bit ramped up. However, there is a lot to get through in terms of the multiplicity of characters that are brought to our attention, thanks to a couple of actors, who are doing the heavy lifting of a chorus while being a chorus not of 12 but of 2. If there is a harder working pair in Pantoland “Scozia”, I would love to hear about them.
Cole Stewart as Geppetta is a fantastic dame, however, the costume, wig and the makeup does make it difficult to warm towards his big-hearted personality. He has all the right delivery in the right place and a singing voice to die for, but a little bit of more warmth in the beginning would open up more warmth and affection. That’s not to say that this is ever going to be a genre that is dependent upon the method acting school in order to get its personalities or characterisation across.
As Pinocchio, Julia Murray gives us that boy that we warm to instantly whilst the hitherto mentioned double act (s) of Stephanie MacGaraidh and Caitlin Forbes as Mozart, the Fairy Godmother, Hing May, George from Asda and principally others are revelatory. I particularly loved the fantastic set piece of Hansel and Greta. I won’t spoil it for anybody reading this, however, they were worth the entrance fee alone. It’s an absolute delight when something as a caricature happens to hit so many notes and do so with such precision and detail. As Hingmay and George from Asda MacGaraidh has got her work cut out with a number of quick changes that were incredibly well done but one of the unsung heroes of the night for me was her little piece as the dolphin. Caitlin Forbes is more than equal as Mozart and Fairy Godmother popping up goodness knows how many times in a variety of different parts!
Leila Noble has managed to tightly put this together with fantastic help from Fraser Lappin in terms of the set, but it was for me the music and the singing which took us to another level. Brian James O’Sullivan as the composer and arranger but also Stephanie MacGaraidh doubling up or trebling up or quadrupling up or quintupling up whatever it may be as musical director takes a great deal of credit but the harmonies that Julia Stephanie Caitlin and Cole Stewart have put together is testimony to just what music means to good panto. The entire cast are able to do more than just carry a tune but do so with characterful glee and joy and that made it a night to remember.
As a package Cumbernauld have once again managed in the context of us struggling financially, and Scottish theatre facing an uncertain fiscal future to put together a night of believing in magic. That’s a bit of a triumph.
