Pinocchio: The Greatest Wonder of the Age Programme 2021

A Lyric Theatre Production 26 Nov - 31 Dec 2021

Books, Music & Lyrics by Paul Boyd

Grab your colouring pencils and let’s get creative with some colouring in! Copy the picture on the front of this programme, or give Pinocchio a whole new look and colour him in any way you like.

FROM JIMMY FAY, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

We are delighted that you have chosen to see your Christmas show at the Lyric and are grateful for your support of this theatre. The past few months have seen the theatre come back to life after the closure due to the pandemic. If anything good came from the pandemic, it was the growing awareness and acknowledgement that theatre, live art, and performance are vital for people to experience and create.

It’s an awareness that grows on Pinocchio too. That the sense of being somehow confined by your environment is not enough, that things can change, and you can be the agent of that change. Pinocchio is a little wooden boy who wants to become a real life boy. He goes on adventures, finds himself in awkward situations, gets in trouble but learns from all the calamities that befall him and somehow transforms into what he always wanted to be.

think it’s terrific that the consistently inventive Paul Boyd has set his world of Pinocchio in a travelling circus where the

sense of self and image can transform instantly, and that re-invention is not just a magic act; it is part of the necessities of life. We grow, we change, we adapt to our surroundings, or we adjust our surroundings to ourselves. The nomadic life of the circus suits people who like to operate on the edge of society but there is no avoiding family, community. How we survive is about how we live with each other with a sense of respect and trust.

We had planned to stage Pinocchio for last Christmas, but that proved impossible like so much else that fateful year. I know that we are still not out of the woods, but am pleased that we have been able, this year, to fulfil our contract with these magnificent actors and allow them to inhabit and present this timeless tale to you, our amazing Lyric audience.

On behalf of the team here and our board may I wish you all a peaceful and Merry Christmas and a healthy and Happy New Year!

Jimmy Fay Executive Producer

Welcome to the Lyric Theatre and our production of Pinocchio

“PINOCCHIO IS A LITTLE WOODEN BOY WHO WANTS TO BECOME A REAL LIFE BOY. HE GOES ON ADVENTURES, FINDS HIMSELF IN AWKWARD SITUATIONS, GETS IN TROUBLE BUT LEARNS FROM ALL THE CALAMITIES THAT BEFALL HIM AND SOMEHOW TRANSFORMS INTO WHAT HE ALWAYS WANTED TO BE”

The new musical Pinocchio: The Greatest Wonder of the Age evolved from discussions with my colleagues at the Lyric theatre at the end of 2019. Our musical of Peter Pan was at the time playing to packed houses, and our 2018 revival of Alice The Musical was still fresh in everyone’s memory; but what would be the title of our next show?

Everyone loves the story of Pinocchio, even if the original book by Carlo Collodi contains a few surprises that readers have forgotten over the years. Similar to ‘Alice in Wonderland’, ‘Pinocchio’ is a tale that people think they know - which makes it perfect for stage adaptation.

Pinocchio: The Greatest Wonder of the Age was commissioned at the end of 2019 and was scheduled for production at Christmas 2020; but of course, world events put paid to that plan, and like theatrical productions all around the world, our musical was postponed.

Throughout 2020, alongside my producers at the Lyric theatre, continued to develop ideas for the show and came up with various plans in case, somehow, Pinocchio: The Greatest Wonder of the Age could be brought to the stage sooner. In the end, and due only to the resilience and tenacity of all of those at the Lyric, the little wooden boy,

the Greatest Wonder of the Age has finally made his appearance a year later and just in time for Christmas 2021.

The story of a little wonder who doesn’t fit in, who is trying to find his place in the world and to work out what makes him special, has universal themes. The story of a circus closed to the public, of performers unable to make use of their talents, and of families kept apart by circumstance, has themes that suddenly became all too potent as developed the show. When I first came up with Pinocchio: The Greatest Wonder of the Age had no way of knowing that would be the case, or that the phrase ‘All Will Be Well’ would come to mean so much.

It’s a delight to be back at work at the Lyric theatre, to be throwing open the gates of the circus after a period of closure. “All the world seems right on a magic night, When the circus comes to town”.

“IT’S A DELIGHT TO BE BACK AT WORK AT THE LYRIC THEATRE, TO BE THROWING OPEN THE GATES OF THE CIRCUS AFTER A PERIOD OF CLOSURE”

Photographer: Johnny Frazer

A HISTORY OF PINOCCHIO MAKING MUSIC

The Pinocchio most of us know is from the Walt Disney version, where the mischievous marionette famously fibs his way out of trouble. But the Disney film is a much lighter version than what Pinocchio’s Italian author originally had in mind. His name was Carlo Lorenzini, a journalist and author born in 1826 who spent his boyhood in the Tuscan town of Collodi, eventually taking its name as his pen name.

Pinocchio’s first appearance was in 1881 in serialised instalments for a children’s magazine and was a huge hit with readers. The original story has a much naughtier Pinocchio, and a much nastier Fox and Cat, with the pesky Pinocchio even being turned into a donkey at one point!

Two years later, due to popular demand the full novel came out under the title, ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’ and Pinocchio got a second chance - thanks to his good heart, he turned from naughty to nice, finally becoming a real boy.

Carlo Collodi died before Pinocchio became a household name. Looking back, he was an Old Joe with words instead of wood, whose beloved puppet is still reminding us just what it means to learn from our mistakes.

Today, Pinocchio fans can visit the Pinocchio Park in Collodi - created in the 1950s, it has lots of sculptures, including this one of the Fox and the Cat from the original story - or as we know them from today’s show, Mr. Fox and Lady Cat!

DIDYOU KNOW?

At the Pinocchio Park in Collodi, Tuscany you can see lots of statues and sculptures of Pinocchio, like this one!

The past decade has seen a surge of actormusician shows all over the UK - that is, shows where the performers also become musicians on the stage, and often where the instruments are woven into the story itself. The popularity of the actor-muso show has grown over the years to become one of the hottest styles of live theatre around.

The magic of an actor-musician show comes from the joy of the artistry involved. You’ve heard of a triple-threat? Performers who can act, dance AND sing. Well, many actor-musicians are quadruple-threats. It’s an incredible skill to master, but one that can bring as much joy to the actors onstage as the audiences watching the action.

In this performance of Pinocchio, prepare to be wowed by our amazing performers who are so versatile and talented; using their instruments to reinforce the story of the little wooden boy, with the sheer electricity of live carnival music.

DIDYOUKNOW?

IntheoriginalPinocchio series,hedoesn’thave hisfamousgrowing nose!

DID

YOU KNOW?

There are translations of Pinocchio in around 240-260 languages, making it one of the most translated books in the world!

“THE SHEER ELECTRICITY OF LIVE CARNIVAL MUSIC”

OVER TO YOU!

See if you can find Pinocchio and all his friends in this word search but watch out, there could be a foe in there too..

Grab your colouring pencils and let’s get creative with some colouring in! Copy the picture on the front of this programme, or give Swallowfire a whole new look and colour him in any way you like.

CAST

RICHARD CLEMENTS MR. FOX

Richard is from Bangor, he studied French/ Spanish at Queens and Drama at The Royal Welsh College. Theatre includes: Jimmy’s Hall, Let The Right One In, Abbey Calling (Abbey), The Weir (Sherman), Northern Star, Pentecost, Spokesong (Rough Magic), Group (Belfast Ensemble), Lally The Scut, Summertime, Caught Red Handed (Tinderbox), Spoiling (Traverse - Fringe First Winner), Arguments For Terrorism (Oran Mor), Transparency (Ransom), Over The Bridge (Green Shoot), The Old Curiosity Shop (Gate), Oh What A Lovely War, Confusions, Blue Remembered Hills (Bruiser), Lovers (Big Telly), Zoo Story, Time Flies, Dream Sleep Connect, Stitched Up (C21), Titanic Boys (GBL), The Dreamer Examines His Pillow (Stray Dawg), What The Butler Saw, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (Rawlife).

Lyric credits: Pride and Prejudice, Cinderella, The Miser, Observe The Sons Of Ulster, Paradise,The Wizard Of Oz, What The Donkey Saw, What The Reindeer Saw.

TV: Three Families, Traces, Dave Allen At Peace, EastEnders, The Fall, Wodehouse In Exile, Silverpoint (BBC), Fearless, The Frankenstein Chronicles (ITV), Almost Never (CBBC), Ted’s Top Ten (CITV), Scapegoat, Betrayal Of Trust, S.O.S The Titanic Inquiry, At Water’s Edge (BBC NI).

Film: A Christmas Star, Good Vibrations, Keith Lemon The Movie, Titanic Town, Free Spirits.

Recent radio includes Blackwater (Radio 4).

Richard is also an accomplished songwriter. He recently released the album “Mosaic”. He is currently developing a one man show based on an audio project www.howtoburyadeadmule.com created during lockdown.

RICHARD RUSSELL EDWARDS RED LOBSTER

Born in Bristol, lives in London. Trained at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.

Theatre credits include: Sasha Regan’s all male HMS Pinafore (Union Theatre, Hackney Empire, UK Tour), Sasha Regan’s all male The Pirates of Penzance (Hackney Empire, UK Tour & Palace Theatre West End), Sasha Regan’s The Mikado (UK Tour), Sasha Regan’s all male Lolanthe (UK Tour), Alice In Wonderland (The Madinat Theatre Dubai) and Jesus Christ Superstar (Ljubljana Summer Festival Theatre, Slovenia).

Winner of Craig Dodd Theatre Prize - Actor in a Featured Role - HMS Pinafore 2013.

Eimear trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the BA Acting degree and graduated in 2020. Before this she completed the Lyric Theatre’s Drama Studio course in 2015.

St. Joan (Lyric Theatre Belfast), Before You Go (Kabosh), Tragik Plastik (Tinderbox), Pinocchio (Citizens Theatre Glasgow), Love and Information (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Middletown (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Blue Stockings (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), The Seagull (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Lud-In-The-Mist (BBC Radio 4), Bog Girls (BBC Radio), The Haunted Hotel (BBC Radio Scotland), 2020 BBC Carleton Hobbs Runner Up Award.

Born in Grimsby, England and currently living in London, Christopher trained at Italia Conti Academy of Dramatic Arts

Lyric Theatre credits: Peter Pan: The Musical, Hansel + Gretel, Molly Wobbly’s.

Other Theatre includes All male Iolanthe (Various), Mr Popper’s Penguins (The Children’s Theatre, Minneapolis) The Giant Jam Sandwich (New Perspectives, UK tour), Dr Longitude’s Marvellous Imaginary Menagerie, Alice’s Adventures Underground (Various), Cosi (King’s Head Theatre), Molly Wobbly (Leicester Square Theatre, London), Tinseltown, Hunchback The Musical (Theatre at the Mill); Macbeth, The Comedy of Errors, Midsummer Night’s Dream (Festival Players Tour), Double Bed (Dandelion Productions), The Next Big Thing (Leicester Square Theatre), The Three Little Pigs (Greenwich Theatre), Canterbury Tales (British Museum), Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens (Black Box, Belfast), In The Spotlight (UK Tour), The Comedy of Errors (Brockwell Park), Richard III (Brockley Jack), Edges (C Venues, Edinburgh), The Happy End (Chelsea Theatre), Not About Nightingales (Landor), Piaf (Rocket, Edinburgh).

Film credits include: The Shot, 2 Minutes,Triple Jeopardy.

Cast recordings include: One Night Stand, Tinseltown, Molly Wobbly’s Tit Factory, Pilate’s Wife, Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, Peter Pan: The Musical, Pinocchio: The Greatest Wonder of the Age Demo recording.

Commercials include: GiffGaff, Samsung, Regaine, McDonalds.

ALLISON HARDING SWALLOWFIRE

Trained at Arts Educational School Drama Department 1982-85, Allison is an actor musician, born in Portsmouth and now lives in Belfast.

For the Lyric theatre: Nancy: Oliver! 1995 (Robin Midgely), Queen of Hearts: Alice The Musical (Paul Boyd), Ruth: Pirates of Penzance Belfast Ensemble (Conor Mitchell), Jess Hook: Peter Pan (Paul Boyd), Ralph: Kiss Me Kate (NI Opera), Mrs Thistlewaite: Dear Sprit (Tara Lynne O’Neill).

Television and Film: Sal Pucino: Nova Jones (CBBC/RTE/Fergal Costello), The Actress: Old Friends & Other Days (NI Opera/ Cameron Menzies), Head Washerwoman: Beauty and The Beast (Disney/Bill Condon) Waterloo Ensemble: Mama Mia! Here we go Again! (Ol Parker), Farmer: Stills commercial, Bank Of Ireland, Security Officer: Crunchy Nut Cornflakes, Into Action, The Bill, London’s Burning and Moses Jones for BBC

Theatre: The Witch: The Grimm Hotel (Cahoots NI/Paul Mc Eneaney), Automated Voice: A Ticket to Identify (The Mac/Oisin Kearney), Helen Wormer: Centralia (Harry Harris and Lucy Jane Atkinson), Mary Lazuras: Sister Act (London Palladium and Touring/ Whoopi Goldberg/Craig Revel-Horwood), Baruska: Once (Phoenix Theatre London/ Barbara Brocoli/John Tiffany), Miranda: Return to The Forbidden Planet (Cambridge Theatre London/Bob Carlton), Queenie:

From A Jack to A King (Ambassadors Theatre London/Bob Carlton), Grace and Lowbutt: Honk! (Watermill Theatre/Sarah Travis/ Queens Theatre Hornchurch) Martha: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Lucy Lockett: Beggars Opera, Bridgit Baines in A Chorus of Disapproval, Lady Macbeth: Macbeth, Bet: April in Paris, Landlady in Two All directed by Bob Carlton and Matt Devitt.

Olivier Award for Best Musical: Return To The Forbidden Planet by Bob Carlton 1989.

Michael was born in Dublin and currently lives in London.

Training: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

Theatre includes: Henry V (Pop-Up Globe, Melbourne/Aukland), As You Like It (PopUp Globe, Melbourne/Aukland), Once: The Musical (Olympia Theatre/Charlotte Theatre), Carmen the Gypsy (Arcola Theatre), Easter Rising And Thereafter (Jermyn Street Theatre), Catch Of The Day (Touring), The Playboy Of The Western World, An Apple A Day (LIR), Bi (Rich Mix), The Greene Card (The Space), A Play For Bad Actors (Back Loft), Ourselves Alone (Samuel Beckett Theatre), Spring Awakening (Everyman Palace Theatre).

Theatre while training: The Commune, Blue Stockings (RCSSD).

EIMEAR FEARON TALKING CRICKET

CHRISTOPHER FINN PINOCCHIO

MICHAEL MAHONY MR. KEYS

CHRISTINA NELSON LADY CAT

Christina Nelson is a highly acclaimed actress, director and writer with her work being presented all over the world. Recently she has appeared in a series of plays touring throughout Northern Ireland. The latest Aisling Award nominated appearance being in Is That Too Hot, the follow-up to Patricia Gormley’s I’ll Tell Me Ma.Nelson has just finished performing as Betty in the sell-out show and online sensation Belfast Girls at the MAC and as Masie in Big Telly’s premiere of The Worst Café in the World as part of the Belfast International Arts Festival which is set to tour Ireland in 2020.

TV/Film credits: History Makers (director, Stephen Pierce); Armchair and Rocket (BBC); My Mother and Other Strangers (BBC, director Adrian Shergold).

‘Nelson, one of Northern Ireland’s finest character actors... displays faultless comic timing through dizzying personality switches.’ - The Stage (I’ll Tell Me Ma)

CREATIVES

PAUL BOYD WRITER/DIRECTOR/COMPOSER

Paul Boyd is a multi award-nominated writer and composer; Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age is his 25th original stage musical to be professionally produced.

As well as his musicals which are presented in productions worldwide, Paul is the composer of original scores and soundtracks for professional theatre productions across Ireland and the UK, the co-creator and co-director of a series of internationally acclaimed water spectaculars, the writer of various plays that have toured nationally, and a stage director who has enjoyed successful collaborations with leading theatre producers.

His first production at the Lyric Theatre was Alice The Musical in 1998. The Lyric has also staged his musicals Hansel & Gretel (in 1999 and again in 2012), Red (in 2000), McCool (in 2002), and The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast (in 2009).

Alice The Musical was commissioned by the Lyric Theatre and was revived in 2018 to mark the show’s 20th anniversary. The Lyric also commissioned Paul’s cult hit musical comedy Molly Wobbly which was presented in concert at the Lyric (in 2011 and 2012) before successful runs in Edinburgh and London’s West End. In 2019 the Lyric commissioned and presented Paul’s stage musical adaptation of Peter Pan

During lockdown in 2020 Paul wrote some of the songs for Pinocchio The Greatest Wonder of the Age and released them as a recording performed by a host of West End, TV, and musical theatre stars. The Demos album is available to download from online stores or to buy on CD from the Lyric Theatre.

In 2022 Paul will direct a new musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz which will tour the UK, and the family musical Tickledom starring Su Pollard which opens across the UK in the spring. His new stage adaptation of Spike Milligan’s war memoir Adolf Hitler: My Part In His Downfall, postponed from 2020, will tour in the autumn.

DEBORAH COOK CHOREOGRAPHER

Deborah was born in Belfast and currently lives in New York City. She trained at The Guildford School of Acting and The Royal Academy of Music in London.

She has worked extensively in theatre and television.

Lyric Theatre credits: Peter Pan The Musical, Alice The Musical, Bah Humbug, What the Reindeer Saw, Beauty and the Beast, The Nativity, What The Donkey Saw, Gingerbread Mixup, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Pride and Prejudice the Musical, Weddings Weeins and Wakes, Forget Turkey, The Little Prince, The Painkiller, Dockers, The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast, Howl, The Home Place, The Wizard of Oz, Dancing at Lughnasa, The Snow Queen.

Other theatre credits; Comedy of Errors the Musical, Sleeping Beauty, Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin, Scrooge’s Christmas, The Wizard of Oz (Ulster Theatre Company), Dancing Shoes (GBL).

Television; This Morning (ITV), The Friday Show (BBC), An Engagement with Franc (BBC), The Tractor Show (BBC), Children in Need (BBC), BBC Blast NI (BBC), EIHL Championship (Sky TV).

Advertising Campaigns; Radio Ulster Spring Trail (BBC), U105 Breakfast Show (UTV), Hughes Insurance (UTV), Coca Cola: Today’s Going To Be A Good Day (Coca Cola).

Awards: In 2009 Deborah was honoured with a Pride of Britain award for her work with young people in Northern Ireland.

Deborah is delighted to be back at the Lyric and wishes you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

STUART MARSHALL SET DESIGNER

Some of Stuart’s recent designs at or for the Lyric Theatre include Dark of the Moon (Lyric Drama Studio), Ruby! (Little Willow Productions), The 39 Steps (Lyric/Bruiser Theatre Company), am Maura (Commedia of Errors), Spud! (McChill Productions) Alice The Musical (Lyric), Bah Humbug! (Lyric) and Peter Pan (Lyric).He has also designed many of Paul Boyd’s shows over the years including The Tale of the Beauty and the Tail of the Beast, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, Sinbad and Pinocchio.

Other previous Christmas shows at the Lyric include Howl! and Nativity: What the Donkey Saw by Grimes and McKee, Mistletoe and Crime, The Star Catcher, Christmas Eve Can Kill You, Seasons Greetings, The Snowman and Peter Pan.

MARY TUMLETY LIGHTING DESIGNER

Mary Tumelty born and lives in Belfast, graduated from Queen’s University, Belfast in 2004 with a BA in Drama Studies. She trained at the Grand Opera House, Belfast in Lighting, Sound and Stage Management for two years. In 2006 she moved to a full-time permanent position within the Brian Friel Theatre at Queen’s University as a theatre instructor/technician. Also maintaining a casual position at the GOH.

Recent credits Lighting Design, Abomination (Lyric Theatre) The Belfast Ensemble & Outburst Festival, which received an Irish Times Theatre Award for Best Opera 2020. Installation Design, Crazy Golf (Craigavon) CDM. Associate Lighting Design, Christmas for Dummies (Baby Grand, GOH) Associate Lighting Design, the revival of Shirley (Lyric Theatre) Lighting Design, Body Politics (The Mac Theatre) MACHA Productions. Lighting Design, Kindermusik (Belfast Children’s Festival) Lighting Design, Ten Plagues (Film Credit) The Belfast Ensemble. Lighting Design, Shankill/Falls Women’s Project. Lighting Design, Democracy Dances (Orchestra and Electronics collaboration) Ulster Orchestra and The Belfast Ensemble (Water Front Hall) Lighting Design, The Musician (Lyric Theatre) The Belfast Ensemble.

Lighting Installation Design, Airtastic (Abbey Centre) Lighting Design, Conversations with Friends (Lyric Theatre) CWF Productions (Element Pictures, BBC Three, Hulu) Lighting Design, The Saviour (The Everyman Theatre, Cork) Landmark Productions. Production Designer, The Car Park (Partisian Productions) Relight, The Dead: An Opera (The Gaiety Theatre, Dublin).

Pyrotechnics Design, programmer and Operator. (Zodiak Kids, CBBC) Relight, Backwards Up a Rainbow, Landmark Productions (Pavilion Theatre, Dun Laoghaire) Lighting Design, Body Politics (Brian Friel Theatre) Macha Productions. Lighting Design, A Night in November (The Mac Theatre) Soda Bread Theatre Company.

Mary is delighted to be doing Lighting Design for Pinocchio: The Greatest Wonder of the Age (The Lyric Theatre).

GILLIAN LENNOX COSTUMER DESIGNER

After graduating with BA hons in Fashion and Textiles at The University of Ulster Gillian Lennox went on to be a designer within the fashion industry.

After a spell designing for Marks & Spencer Menswear Gillian began a 14-year career working for a London based manufacturing/ design company where she progressed to Head Designer supplying companies such as on line retailer ASOS, and Southern Ireland high street stores Dunnes and A-Wear. Her designs for ASOS and A -Wear were often featured in magazine editorials.

Gillian’s work often took her overseas to Paris, Syria and Morocco where she gained insight into the entire process of textile design, garment and pattern construction.

Throughout her career Gillian also continued with her own freelance work and has been a maker and illustrator for Universal Studios when they first came to Northern Ireland with films such as Your Highness.

Gillian has assisted on the BBC Proms and Children in Need and designed and made the costumes for The Belfast Mela South Asian Dance Academy.

Before being appointed as Costume Supervisor with the Lyric Theatre in August 2017 Gillian free-lanced as a maker with the Lyric Theatre, working on various productions including Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad Wolf, The Gingerbread Mix Up, The 39 Steps and The Ladykillers.

For the Lyric Theatre, Gillian has supervised the costume department on all producing shows for the past four years and has been the Costume Designer for Dr Scroggy’s War, Good Vibrations, Alice: The Musical, Double Cross, Rough Girls (Arts & Business Awards) Dark of the Moon, Shirley Valentine, Peter Pan: The musical, 1984 (Postponed Covid), Sadie and Dracula

ERIN CHARTERIS COSTUMER DESIGNER

Erin graduated from Queens University in 2011 with a BA Hons in English Literature. She has worked at the Lyric Theatre since it reopened in 2011 and works full time in the Costume Department. During a five month sabbatical from the Lyric she worked as a maker on season 6 of Game of Thrones. She received a certificate in historical hair styling in 2018 and has since made historically accurate wigs for museum interpretation.

Costume Design Credits: Lyric Theatre credits include: The Comedy of Errors; Light Shining in Buckinghamshire; Oedipus the King; Our Country’s Good;

The Miracle 55 Days; What Are They Like? Mistletoe and Crime; Eternal Love The Ladykillers and Alice The Musical, Peter Pan, Sadie and Pinocchio.

Other credits include: Yes, So I Said Yes; Normal; Breathing Water; The Golden Point and Afterwards Frankenstein; Proni: Titanic Centenary Event; City Hall: Titanic Centenary Event History of Stormont immersive experience, Kabosh: Partition Stories with the National Museums of Northern Ireland.

OLI GEORGE REW MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Training: Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (Musical Direction, Recipient of Help Musicians UK’s Lesley Hayes Award) and University of Cambridge.

Musical Directing credits include: Honk! (UK tour); Soldier On (The Other Palace and UK Tour); Give My Regards To Broadway (Upstairs at the Gatehouse); H.R.Haitch and Honk! (Union Theatre); Hot Lips and Cold War (London Theatre Workshop); Peter Pan, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Aladdin (Theatre Royal Bath); When Midnight Strikes and Birds of Paradise (Drayton Arms Theatre); Chicken Little, DinoStory and Song Writers’ Showcase (From Page To Stage Festival of New Musical Theatre, The Other Palace Studio); Mary Stuart: The Musical (Workshop, Mountview Catalyst Festival 2017); [Title of Show] (Waterloo East Theatre); Busters (Bernie Grant Arts Centre).

Assistant and Associate Musical Directing credits include: Evita (China Tour 2019); Swallows and Amazons (University Parks, Oxford); On the Town (University of Chichester); Blondel (Union Theatre); Paper Hearts (Edinburgh Fringe 2016); Anne of Green Gables (Unicorn Theatre); Undergraduate Musical Theatre Showcase 2015 (Phoenix Theatre) and First Lady Suite (Karamel Club).

Oli was extensively involved with productions at the ADC Theatre and was Musical Director for Into The Woods, Company, Cabaret, Merrily We Roll Along, Footloose and Jet Set Go!

THE PERFECT PINOCCHIO WITH PAUL CURRIE

In our story today, Old Joe carves Pinocchio out of wood, but I bet you’re wondering how we really created him! Belfast-born master puppeteer, comedian and clown, Paul Currie is the genius behind our 2021 version of the world-famous little wooden boy. And whilst Pinocchio might look like he’s made of wood, for Paul’s creation, it all began with a huge chunk of foam…

Creating Pinocchio all started with a big piece of foam and a pair of scissors, the same foam in the seats your sitting on in the theatre - and he was a really a ‘onego wonder’! I spoke with Paul Boyd (the show’s director/writer/composer) and once understood the style he wanted, and how the circus set would look, started hacking away - it’s was all a matter of trial and error.

I’ve made puppets before, but never one quite like Pinocchio. I experimented with concepts that used lino flooring, but it didn’t capture that realistic, gnarled wooden look. I also had to make Pinocchio as light as possible, as the puppeteer would need to hold him for the whole show. tried lots of different tools and drills on the foam to get that split-wood, realistic, gnarled effect and thankfully it all came together.

To really capture Pinocchio’s character, took inspiration from Russian cubist sculptures and Picasso’s cubism. Pinocchio looks a little forlorn as he’s trapped in wood and probably feels a little sad!

The little details are always important, and even the smallest little thing is thought through and added on purpose. I wanted Pinocchio to look like he’d been made by a carpenter who didn’t have many tools and I didn’t want to make him symmetrical because we humans are not symmetrical. wanted his nose to be bent, one leg shorter than the other, one ear bigger than the other.

I really did just start clipping at the foam and found Pinocchio in it - hope you’ll be inspired to have a go at creating some foam art yourself (with a grown-up to help) - it’s that simple and lots of fun!

CREATING CULLODI’S CIRCUS

Ever wondered how we created the magical Cullodi’s Circus? From Mr. Fox’s caravan to the Tree of Truth, every single part of the set is made by the Lyric’s very own specialist team who build everything in our warehouse in Mallusk.

THIS YEAR WE ARE REALLY PROUD TO SUPPORT TWO AMAZING CHARITIES THAT ARE VERY CLOSE TO OUR HEART...

To begin with, a Set Designer will build a tiny version of the set which is called a ‘model box’, kind of like a doll’s house! This will then be used by the construction team to understand exactly how the set should look, then they can start building it in Mallusk.

CHARITIES 2022

Once the set is built, it’s carefully brought to the theatre and built on stage. Our Scenic Construction Manager, Courtenay, shared some special behind-the-scenes pictures so you can see the hard work that went into building the set! Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up building incredible sets one day!

This is the third year we are supporting the Goliath Trust, who work directly with primary schools in Northern Ireland’s most disadvantaged areas.

goliathtrust.co.uk

The Actor’s Children’s Trust (ACT) gives money and informed advice to support the children of professional actors. This has been a lifeline to many families in Northern Ireland throughout the pandemic.

actorschildren.org