Pinocchio for Grown Ups

Melbourne audiences will have the chance to enjoy the mainstage Australian premiere of My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale. David Spicer spoke to two of the leads, Rachael Beck and Daniel Lim.

It’s not very often you speak to a thirteen-year-old boy and find out he’s playing lead roles in three musicals within the space of a few months.

Year 7 student Daniel Lim barely had time to talk to Stage Whispers as he was in rehearsals for the role of The Artful Dodger in Oliver! at his high school, is playing Bert in a junior production of Mary Poppins with a community theatre company and had scored the professional lead of Pinocchio.

Performing Arts “is quite big in my life” Daniel told me with more than a little understatement.

“Monday, I do dance, Tuesday dance, Wednesday dance and singing (and so forth) … I am very, very busy.”

The teenager has already had two professional engagements in his young life – playing an Otter in The Wind in the Willows and Young Elvis in Elvis: The Musical Revolution.

“I am most excited about Pinocchio. It’s a new experience, as I get to act like a puppet. I like how much freedom (the role) gets. It’s kind of like me.”

Also in the show, being produced by Melbourne company Your Show, is seasoned musical theatre star Rachael Beck as The Blue Fairy.

She says there are aspects of this adaptation which are more appealing to adults than the original fable (first written in 1883 by Carlo Collodi) about a father’s creation of a wooden puppet whose nose grows when he lies.

“It is less about Pinocchio’s journey to becoming a more responsible child, which was the original arc of the story,” she said.

“It is about the father (Geppetto) and other people in the play. Their growth and expansion in finding true love and accepting someone for who they are.  It is also about accepting your own foibles.”

The musical is based on Disney’s made for television movie Geppetto.

As in the TV film, when Pinocchio runs away to become a star in Stromboli's puppet show, Geppetto must negotiate through a maze of adventures and comic encounters to find him.

There are songs composed by Stephen Schwartz, as well as the classics “When You Wish Upon A Star” and “I’ve Got No Strings”.

The Blue Fairy is the narrator of the musical.

“She is cheeky, performs all the magic, and has four fairies training under her as well.  She’s a got a real attitude,” said Beck.

Beck is looking forward to the role, which is a change of pace from her most recent professional engagements in Next To Normal and Barnum.

She’s stepped back from national tours in recent years to look after her two teenage children, while testing the waters as a director.

Daniel Lim is enjoying having a foot in both non-professional and professional theatre.

“In a high school show you get to perform with your school friends and there is more time to rehearse. In professional theatre the experience is great fun and you get to meet new people.”

Your Show will perform My Son Pinocchio: Geppetto’s Musical Tale from September 28 to October 3 at The Round, in Nunawading, Victoria.

https://www.theround.com.au/whats-on/disneys-my-son-pinocchio

Images: Anniss+Barton