Newbury's Watermill Theatre has named the company for its Christmas show, Michael Morpurgo's Pinocchio, back two years after its first run at the theatre. Four performers return with it and Jax Guerrero takes the title role.
The Watermill Theatre in Newbury has confirmed the company for its Christmas show, a return of the musical Michael Morpurgo's Pinocchio two years after it first ran at the theatre. Four performers come back with it, and Jax Guerrero takes the title role.
Returning from the 2024 company are Christopher Bianchi, whose credits include the UK tour of The Talented Mr Ripley and I'm Sorry Prime Minister at the Barn Theatre and on tour, as Geppetto; Fred Double (The Two Gentlemen of Verona for the Royal Shakespeare Company, End of the Rainbow at Soho Theatre Walthamstow) as Cricket; Eddy Payne (David Copperfield at Jermyn Street Theatre and GSC, Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet at the Orange Tree Theatre) as Cat; and Jacoba Williams (Burning Down the House at the Schwarzman Centre, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Twelfth Night at Shakespeare's Globe) as Carabiniere.
Joining them, Jax Guerrero — whose credits include The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping for Lionsgate Pictures, Love's Labour's Lost at Shakespeare's Globe and Twelfth Night at Theatr Clwyd — plays Pinocchio. James Hall (Bloody Marys at the Edinburgh Fringe, Sleeping Beauty at Central Theatre Chatham, Pippin at Urdang Academy) is the onstage MD; Megan Keaveny (Much Ado About Nothing for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Is This Thing On on UK tour, BOYS at The Kings Arms) plays the Good Fairy and is onstage swing; and Polly Lister (Nation with YesYesNoNo Theatre, The Memory of Water at Bolton Octagon, Oliver Twist at Derby Theatre) doubles Signora Geppetto and Fox.
The adaptation is by Simon Reade, with music and lyrics by Chris Larner, and is co-directed by Indiana Lown-Collins and Elle While. Yoav Segal designs set and costume, puppets are designed and made by Marc Parrett, and the production has lighting by Jonathan Chan, sound by Ella Wahlström, movement direction by Asha Jennings-Grant, musical supervision by Simon David, illusions by John Bulleid and assistant lighting design by Brett Kasza. Casting is by Cydney Beech.
Backstage, Cat Pewsey is company stage manager and Fern Bamber deputy stage manager, with Katie Crump and Sam Fuller as assistant stage managers and Rob Summers as sound no. 1.
"We first brought you this production in 2024, and we're so excited to bring it back," said co-directors Indiana Lown-Collins and Elle While. "Pinocchio has everything from puppets made from household objects, songs from a range of genres and a sprinkling of magic (actual magic, woohoo)! It's also a show that celebrates the craft of theatre, with an incredibly talented cast and creative team, bringing to life many different characters on Pinocchio's journey. Audiences can expect to laugh, dance and be amazed, leaving energised with a warm feeling inside."
The show tells the familiar story of the wooden puppet who wants to be a boy, staged with puppets built from household objects and a score that moves between genres. The first run in 2024 sold out and was listed among The Guardian's ten best theatre shows of that year.
The run opens on Wednesday 25 November 2026 and closes on Sunday 3 January 2027, with a national press night on Saturday 28 November 2026 at 2.30pm. Tickets are on sale through the Watermill Theatre's own box office in Newbury.
