and emotion to her limited scenes. While the puppet commanded much of the stage, seeing Maria in a stunning dragon-inspired dress during the finale was a lovely touch. The puppet dragon was wonderfully moved by members of the ensemble, all in black, even their heads were covered. It was moved around the stage well, despite the limited space. And adding lots of smoke really added to the dragon’s presence. Amy Brown delivered a delightfully animated performance as Pinocchio, capturing the puppet-turned-real-boy with spot-on physicality and humour. From her stiff-legged walk to her high-pitched voice and dramatic flailing, every movement was packed with detail, bringing the character to life in a way that felt both exaggerated and endearing. The comic use of Pinocchio’s extending nose added an extra layer of hilarity, perfectly timed to highlight the puppet’s fibbing tendencies. Amy also brought warmth and vulnerability to the role, balancing the humour with moments that made Pinocchio’s dream of becoming “real” feel genuine and heartfelt. Her interactions with the ensemble, especially the other fairy-tale creatures, were a joy to watch, filled with sharp timing and clever reactions. Whether leading group scenes or shining solo, Amy’s performance made Pinocchio a standout part of the show. The ensemble was outstanding, remaining in character and contributing comedy, energy, and warmth to every scene. Highlights included the comical Three Little Pigs and the Three Blind Mice, who dazzled as dancers. The vocals were always spot on - and the harmonies beautifully done. And the dance routines, especially in Duloc, city-state, were clever and well executed. I loved the Freak Flag routine - totally felt the energy during that number and showed off every character really well. One of the evening’s most memorable moments came courtesy of the executioner’s outrageously oversized codpiece, earning its place as the show’s “best supporting character.” The audience was in fits of laughter every time it made an appearance. The tap-dancing rats’ sequence was a stroke of choreographic brilliance. First appearing as tiny slippers behind/ under a backcloth, they transitioned into full-sized rats in an ingenious and entertaining reveal. In fact, there were so many wonderful moments throughout the show, that this review would be far too long to mention them all! The set was. as expected, the classic swamp, forest, Duloc pieces, that worked well together, and the crew were slick getting everything into place. Lighting was used to good effect - one moment that stood out was lighting Fiona green whilst
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