The theatre’s festive production will run at the theatre from the 15th November until the 5th January 2025.
Rehearsal images have now been released for the Watermill Theatre’s production of Pinocchio which is being brought to the stage by Michael Morpurgo’s long-time collaborator Simon Reade, with music and lyrics by Chris Larner, and co-direction from Elle White and Indiana Lown Collin.
With press night set for the 20th November, the production will include in its cast: Pinocchio’ who will be played by Jerome Yates (Our Teacher’s Troll and Peter Pan & The Battle for Neverland – Ruined Theatre), the role of ‘Geppetto’ will be played by Christopher Bianchi (I’m Sorry Prime Minister: I Can’t Quite Remember – Barn Theatre, Of Mice and Men – The Torch Theatre), Fred Double (Much Ado About Nothing – Watermill Theatre, Wuthering Heights – Wise ChildrenDeLaMar Theatre) will play ‘Cricket’, Hanora Kamen (Macbeth – English Touring Theatre, The Gangs of New York and The Importance of Being Earnest – Grosvenor Park Open Theatre, will play ‘Fox’, with Lottie Latham (The Mousetrap – West End and National Tour, The Miniaturists – Arcola) as ‘Signora Geppetto’, Eddy Payne (Macbeth and Romeo & Juliet – Orange Tree Theatre and Guildford Shakespeare Company, Little Women, Romeo & Juliet and Stig of the Dump – Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre) as ‘Cat’, Jacoba Williams (The Frogs – Kiln Theatre and Royal & Derngate, The Fir Tree, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night – Shakespeare’s Globe) as ‘Carabiniere’ and Simon David (The Musical of Musicals! The Musical!, Above The Stag Theatre)who will be musical supervisor and onstage musical director.
Lovingly carved in Geppetto’s workshop, Pinocchio’s parents dream of a bright future for their wooden son. Pinocchio, however, dreams of adventure and sets off on a path of fun and freedom ready to discover the world. Along the way, Pinocchio is confronted with big decisions and a menagerie of colourful characters, leading to calamitous consequences as he starts a fire, turns into a donkey, and even ends up inside a whale!
The creative team behind the production includes: set and costume design from Yoav Segal alongside Marc Parrett who will be puppet designer, maker and director, lighting design from Jonathan Chan, with sound design by Ella Wahlstrom, and movement direction from Asha Jennings-Grant. Completing the production team is Production Manager Tom Nickson, Company Stage Manager Cat Pewsey, Deputy Stage Manager Caitlin Ravenscroft, Assistant Stage Managers Fern Bamber and Katie Crump, BSL Supervisor Stephen Collins, Sign Integrated Performer Kim Helman, alongside Lixi Chivas who will also be on Audio Description and Min Gilby on captioning.
To book tickets visit: https://www.watermill.org.uk/pinocchio