Pinnochio with both laughter and raised eyebrows

“Why do people pay to see this?” said a ten-year-old boy in the row behind me ten minutes into the premiere of Runar Hodnes’ Pinocchio at Oslo Nye. I couldn’t say the same as the young skeptic. With talented actors, funny puppets and imaginative sets, the story of Pinocchio came to life. The family performance is suitable for both adults and children, but probably appeals most to the little ones. The play didn’t hit the spot with the boy behind me, but for me it was a fun evening and a memorable evening in the theater.

The story of Pinocchio is about a boy made of wood who wants to become a human. The story of Pinocchio was written by the Italian author Carlo Collodi in 1881, and is much darker and more moralizing than the one presented to us by Runar Hodne's version. I never grew up with the fairy tale of Pinocchio , and the only thing I knew was that his nose grew when he lied. The performance ensured that I was no longer unfamiliar with the story, and even though I went in without any expectations, I was pleasantly surprised.

In Hodne's version, Gepetto has a job as a cleaner at a circus run by a cruel director. One day, he finds a magic stick that he carves into a puppet, and thus Pinocchio is born – a puppet that soon turns out to be alive. Pinocchio is torn between loyalty to Gepetto and the temptation of the circus, and eventually runs away to find out who he is. Along the way, he meets both friends and impostors, experiences that his nose grows when he lies, and learns more about himself. Finally, he tries to return home, and out at sea he is reunited with Gepetto, who has been looking for him. The two end up in the belly of a giant whale, but manage to escape back to land. There, they discover that the circus is on fire, and in a last heroic attempt to save others, Pinocchio loses his life and becomes one with the earth again.

What sticks in my mind the most afterwards was Karoline PU Schau's performance of the circus director. The laughter, the drama, the humor – everything was well executed. The audience was included, and we suddenly became spectators at the director's own circus performance. She addressed us, the children responded back, and the atmosphere became playful and informal. It gave an extra dimension, and I saw several parents who seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the children.

Another highlight was the confusion between Pinocchio in puppet form and in human form. The fact that Pinocchio did not remain a puppet throughout the play was a clever move. When Ferdinand Falsen Hiis stepped into the role of the human Pinocchio, Gepetto instead became a giant puppet. Thus, the illusion was maintained: Pinocchio still appeared small, and the contrast was both creative and surprising.

The music had a clear place. I wasn't quite prepared for the show to have so many songs, but they were good – composed with energy and performed with energy. The combination of lighting, dance and music gave the piece a lift, and some of the melodies were actually quite catchy.

Still, there were some parts of the play that could have been more elaborate. When Pinocchio chooses to follow the circus director over Gepetto, we get little insight into his thought process. The conflict was left as a dramatic point, but not an emotional and believable choice. For children, it may not matter that much, but I missed more depth in his inner struggle. Pinocchio is torn between selfishness and loyalty, but without us fully understanding why.

Some supporting roles and scenes also felt somewhat redundant. One example is a wizard in the forest, to whom Pinocchio gives his gold coin. The scene showed Pinocchio's generosity, an important human quality, but it was experienced more as a pause in the action than a necessity. On the other hand, such elements are perhaps precisely what makes children's theater so lively - the many small stops on the journey create variety and keep the pace unpredictable.

Another critical point is the length of the show at about 1 hour and 20 minutes. It was just short enough to keep the youngest engaged, but some scenes felt rushed – especially the dramatic turning points. A little more time to explore Pinocchio’s doubts, Geppetto’s longing or the circus director’s ambitions could have given the play more emotional weight. When everything happens so quickly, you lose some of the opportunity to feel the consequences of your choices.

Yet Runar Hodne managed to present a story that is both recognizable and new. The classic elements – the lies, the nose growth, the desire to become human – were intertwined with a fresh set design that invited the children along for the journey. The result was a performance that never took itself too seriously, and that had enough warmth and imagination to engage.

I was very impressed with the execution of the play. The combination of puppetry and acting made the play adventurous, and together with the funny acting style, are among the creative features of the play that impressed me. Although some scenes were too rushed and I would have liked to see more of Pinocchio's thought process behind some of his actions, this was a funny character with a lot of personality. The play probably didn't resonate with the boy behind me, but for me Pinocchio was an experience with charm, energy and humor.