The Adventures of Pinocchio – Bradford Alhambra

Next year Bradford becomes the UK City of Culture so what better way to prepare for that momentous year then joining local legend Billy Pearce for his 24th panto.

Pinocchio is a new show for both this theatre and panto giant Crossroads, so it makes sense to launch it with Billy leading a strong company and getting the audience revved up from the moment he came on. Billy may be in his seventh decade, but he retains an infectious energy, and razor sharp comic timing honed by his years slogging round the club circuit. He’s also the king of the fart gag, much to the delight of the young kids laughing their heads off alongside their loved ones.

He’s equally at home with the corny gags that are so central to a satisfying panto experience, and the smutty asides that go over the heads of the kids in the audience, and even straps in for an impressive stunt to end the first half. Every year Billy gets three kids up to join the show, and there’s a glorious moment when young Winnie completely wrong foots him much to his delight, and earned her a massive laugh. Billy really should know better by now, oh yes he should.

Harry Michaels’ ‘book’ based on the classic tale of a wooden boy who becomes a real child when he learns to tell the truth is as with all pantos more of a guide allowing the cast to run riot on stage, with Pearce merrily ad libbing away. Ed Curtis has directed pantos here for over a decade, so knows how to get the best out of a cast working hard on a big set and donning flamboyant costumes.

Given this is a new show there’s plenty of experience onstage and Corrie great Chris Gascoyne proves to be a classic panto villain as Stromboli. He gleefully edges near as possible to over the top, wringing out every loud boo from kids and adults alike. There’s a lovely moment during a really clever voice swapping sequence when he just can’t help corpsing during a relentless barrage of Billy Pearce nonsense. It’s those off the cuff moments that make panto such a unique experience, transporting you right back to your childhood.

Panto veteran Steve Arnott was a decent Dame Rita wandering on in a series of daft costumes, Ewan Goodard proved to be a charming Pinocchio and Nicholas McLean showed off his West End credentials with a wistful Give A Little Whistle as Jiminy Cricket. Ru Paul star Courtney Act may be from Down Under, but she really gets into the spirit of this most British of mediums, and what she lacks in comedy chops more than makes up for it with a strong singing voice and stage presence in a succession of gorgeous frocks.

A great ensemble kept things moving in some big dance numbers and as is tradition here the young Sunbeams provided by the Sara Packham Theatre School did themselves proud. Panto is nothing if not over the top, and if the controlled chaos onstage wasn’t quite enough, up popped the Spark Fire Dance duo, who somehow managed to avoid setting light to the stage much to the delight of the kids.

Unlike other pantos who throw in chart hits the soundtrack here was a mixture of tunes from the movie, some original tunes and even a burst of YMCA for reasons that weren’t apparent in the script.

It’s always risky launching a new show in the festive season, but this warm hearted show is a hit because it does all the panto basics well, and there’s been no expense spared on the set and costumes. The Adventures of Pinocchio is daft, fun, glittery and makes no sense at all, which is why everyone loves a panto, whether it’s your first time in the theatre, or like Billy when it’s your umpteenth time.

The Adventures of Pinocchio is at Bradford Alhambra until Sunday 19th January 2025.  To book 01274 432000 or www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

Reviewer: Paul Clarke

Reviewed: 10th December 2024

North West End UK Rating: