By BRUCE DENNILL
Janice Honeyman’s Pinocchio / Directed by Janice Honeyman / Mandela, Joburg Theatre, Braamfontein, Johannesburg
Returning to Pinocchio – this is her third pantomime using the beloved 1883 story as a foundational text – Janice Honeyman presents a production that updates the striking digital screen set elements that have marked these shows in the last few years, and cutting down on the product placement that sometimes mixes commercial and creative interests a touch too much for some audience members. Andrew Timm’s AV sets are, while still massive and radiantly bright, more refined, adding more focus to several smaller segments of the overall narrative.
Those colours are matched by Mariska Meyer’s costumes, which are wildly varied not only across the range of characters but also for specific scenes, with the pantomime’s status as a tentpole production meriting enough budget to create entire ranges of outfits – or, in the case of the Undersea Extravaganza scene, a whole horde of marine creatures – for just a minute or two of action.
In an art form designed to reflect trends, music charts and other aspects of contemporary culture, the script plays more than ever to a young audience – a massively important aspect of a show that arguably attracts more first-time theatre attendees than any other. This occasionally results in some shrugs from older audience members – what does ‘6 7’ mean, and why is a K-pop band hunting demons? – without ever breaking the flow of the narrative.
Standout performances include Lesedi Rich (as Lampwick Spaghetti), Tiaan Rautenbach (as Dame Arletti Spaghetti) and Sandi Dlangalala (as Jimini Cricket). Rich has a lean frame but massive stage presence, moving with easy, loose-limbed grace and delivering his lines with a goofy charm completely appropriate to the character. Rautenbach follows up lauded turns in We Will Rock You and The Addams Family with another show-stopper, with multiple layers of makeup and enormous, loud dresses failing to obscure confident comic timing and a powerful singing voice. Dlangalala overcomes the slippery dress shoes that form part of his costume to combine the sense of calm and thoughtfulness that Jiminy is supposed to bring to bear as Pinocchio’s conscience with smooth choreography and an extraordinarily expressive face.
Brenda Radloff and Camilla Waldman have a sniping, teasing blast as Madame Ill’ Fortunato, the fox and Madame Pussy Galore, the cat, respectively. Gina Shmukler as Bella Bouboulina, the Blue Fairy, guides matters along as the narrator-cum-fairy godmother and pantomime regular Bongi Archi lends his gorgeous singing voice to his Geppetto. Mark Richardson and Luciano Zuppa each play multiple characters with the reliably cool attitude their collective experience supports.
There is talent to spare in the ensemble, which includes performers – Virtuous Kandemiri, Yahto Kraft, Donovan Yaards and others – who are more than capable of leading a cast, as they’ve already done in other productions.
Pinocchio 2025 is not as stuffed to the gills with gags as some previous pantos have been, but it looks wonderful, exudes warmth and creates a space where everyone from lovers of everything from classic literature to the Spotify Top Ten can find something to relate to.
