London – Shakespeare’s Globe’s Pinocchio, directed by Associate Artistic Director Sean Holmes with book and lyrics by Charlie Josephine and music by Jim Fortune, is a spirited, family-friendly musical that brings Carlo Collodi’s classic tale to vivid life. Playing through 4 January 2026, this holiday offering has quickly distinguished itself as one of the season’s most talked-about shows, blending theatrical inventiveness with emotional warmth and plenty of festive chaos.
Walking into the Globe for Pinocchio already feels like stepping halfway into a story. The open space, the circular stage, the sense of being surrounded by people rather than seated apart from them — all of it prepares you for a kind of theatre that is communal, alive, and slightly unpredictable. That atmosphere turns out to be a perfect match for Pinocchio, a story that has always been about movement, curiosity, and becoming.
What struck me first was the energy of the production. There is a constant sense of motion — not frantic, but playful and alert — as though the show itself shares Pinocchio’s restless desire to explore the world. It feels designed to keep the audience engaged not just intellectually, but physically and emotionally, inviting laughter, surprise, and moments of quiet attention in equal measure.
The figure of Pinocchio himself is central to this experience. Rather than feeling like a novelty or a technical trick, the puppet feels genuinely present. There is something deeply affecting about watching a character who is visibly “made” — joints, angles, artifice — and yet full of warmth and vulnerability. It reminded me that part of the story’s enduring power lies in its simplicity: the wish to be real, to belong, to be loved without conditions.
What I appreciated most was that the production does not rush the emotional core of the story. Beneath the humour and the liveliness, there is space for tenderness — particularly in the relationship between Pinocchio and his maker. The theme of care, of responsibility, of trying (and failing) to protect someone you love, feels quietly resonant without being sentimental. It’s there if you want to feel it, but it never insists.
The music and movement contribute strongly to this sense of openness. Songs arrive as natural extensions of the action rather than interruptions, and the physical storytelling makes the Globe’s stage feel elastic — able to hold both chaos and stillness. Even when the story veers into misadventure, there is an underlying generosity of tone, a sense that mistakes are part of learning rather than something to be punished.
What stayed with me after the performance was not a single scene, but a feeling: that this Pinocchio trusts its audience. It trusts children to follow emotional shifts without everything being explained, and it trusts adults to reconnect with a story they may think they already know. It doesn’t try to be clever for its own sake; instead, it leans into storytelling as a shared experience.
Seeing Pinocchio at the Globe also reinforces how well this space lends itself to stories about transformation. The theatre itself, open to the elements and responsive to the crowd, mirrors the play’s themes of change and becoming. You’re never completely outside the story — you’re part of the circle that allows it to exist.
I left the theatre feeling lighter, but also thoughtful. Not because the production pushes a message, but because it allows space to reflect on what it means to grow, to fail, and to keep trying. In a season full of spectacle, Pinocchio stands out for its warmth, its physical imagination, and its belief in the emotional intelligence of its audience.
It’s a show that reminds you why live theatre — especially in a place like the Globe — still feels magical.
A joyous, spirited, and heartfelt reimagining of a classic, perfect for the holiday season.
To book your ticket visit: The Globe