PINOCCHIO
A musical fantasy for puppets and actors
| The show The Company's show draws on the images created by ALAIN LETORT, a French artist
who paid tribute to the famous wooden puppet by producing 12 Indian ink drawings to which
colours were later added by GIANNI PLAZZI.
The staging of this version of "PINOCCHIO" is based on the layout of these 12
drawings. The plot reflects the characters in the drawings, such as Geppetto, the Cat and
the Fox, the Fairy, Firewater, etc., thus creating independent "pictures and
scenes", rather like a collage that tells in pictures the famous story by Collodi.
The whole show is performed in the centre of the stage which is sparsely adorned with a
succession of simple and essential sets, such as THE DOOR, THE PUPPET THEATRE, THE TREE,
THE CIRCUS, and so forth.
In this same space the actors move about, accompanying the puppets in a rapport of
"visible animation" that in recent years has come to form an integral part of
the style and expression of the company. The four actors thus become the basis of the
stage action, as though they too had physically stepped into that colourful circus which
is the story of PINOCCHIO. |
Synopsis of scenes
1 ) Geppetto makes Pinocchio
puppet in his workshop (performed with shadow puppets).
2 ) Pinocchio begins to walk and escapes from home.
3 ) The Police arrest Pinocchio and bring him back home.
4 ) Geppetto gives Pinocchio a dictionary and sends him to school.
5 ) Pinocchio leaves home and ends up at the puppet theatre of Mangiafuoco (the
fire-eater).
Here he sells the dictionary and enters the theatre where he meets
Arlecchino and Pulcinella.
Then Mangiafuoco gives Pinocchio a small bag full of coins.
6 ) Pinocchio meets the Cat and the Fox.
Two hooded figures steal his money and hang him to a
tree.
7 ) The "Blue Haired Fairy" rescues Pinocchio and
puts him to bed.
8 ) The "Crow Doctors" make their diagnosis and
give Pinocchio medicine.
9 ) Pinocchio won't take the medicine. Suddenly Rabbits
appear, they start to prepare for Pinocchio's funeral as he is dying.
10) The Dove takes Pinocchio to look for Geppetto.
11) Pinocchio is changed into a Donky with long ears because
of his bad behaviour and is made to perform in a circus. But one of his legs breaks and he
is thrown into the sea.
12) Under the sea, a Whale eats Pinocchio. Inside the whale's
belly, he is reunited with Geppetto and decides to become a good child.
13) The Fairy changes Pinocchio into a real child.
TECHNICAL
REQUIREMENTS
|
The show is completely self-contained and the ideal technical
requirements are:
- a 400 sits theatre
- stage 10 metres (width) - 8 metres (depth) - 5 metres minimum (height)
- backdrop and black wings
- total blackout
-wall-plug 220V on the stage (Three phase + neutral) - 32A or 63A - 10 KW
- stairs connecting stage to auditorium
- stage preparation time: 5 hours
- dismantling time: 3 hours
- use of nails essential (or wall-hook) |
|
Link to
Pictures of
Alain Letort Page
Pictures of
Alain Letort
Painted
Gianni Plazzi
Puppetry
Mauro Monticelli
e Sonia Gonzalez
Original music
Claudio Capucci
Morrigan's Wake
Puppeteers:
Monica Bartolini,
Roberta Colombo,
Mauro e Andrea Monticelli
Production
TEATRO DEL DRAGO
Link to
Pictures
of scene Page
The language
What "words" can we find for such
contorted puppets, so melancholy, so unsettling and anything but reassuring, yet at the
same time so original, singular and fanciful?
They form part of an unreal/surreal world unleashed by the dreams (nightmares?) of those
who interpret the world solely through the private language of their own imagination
(filtered through an extremely rigorous aesthetic concept).
What language should we use then, if not that of fantasy ?
Certainly not true, real, comprehensible sentences; not words with a firm, clear meaning;
not the logical adoption of literary interpretation and theatrical transposition.
There thus emerges an improbable language which leaves the way totally and utterly clear
to the Pinocchio that each one of us has known (at least once in our lives, as children).
Conclusion:
No dictionaries are allowed in the
auditorium.
THE MANAGEMENT |