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 actorschildren.org

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.