Pinocchio (7+)

Pinocchio starts out as a blank block of wood, but even before she can walk properly, she sets off into the world. Curious and headstrong, she leaves her father Geppetto behind and throws herself into a series of adventures.
Along the way, she meets Mrs Cat, Mr Fox and Mr Weasel, who tempt her with wonderful stories and easy choices. But who can you trust? And do you choose fun and ease, or honesty and responsibility?
Pinocchio learns the benefits of lying from her friends, until she realises that she, too, is being taken for a ride.

‘Is that really true?
Don’t be so boring!
Lie until everything becomes more fun, lie it all together
Lie left, right and centre,
until it suits you
Lie their ears off
with blah blah blah blah blah
Lie away, lie away, lie away!

With the cooperation of a regional children's choir.

Cast: Pinocchio: Josje Eijkenboom | Mrs van der Vos: Vera Fiselier | Mr Kats: Joris van Baar | Mr Das: Niek Idelenburg | Puppetry: Cat Smits & Sanne van Dijk | Musicians: New European Ensemble

Creation: Music: Oene van Geel | libretto: Simon van der Geest|direction Joke Hoolboom | puppets and co-direction: Cat Smits

As with *Reinaert de V.*, two-time Gouden Griffel winner Simon van der Geest is writing the libretto. Oene van Geel (winner of the Boy Edgar Prize) is composing the music. Following two successful co-productions, the Duda Paiva Company (DPC) wishes to pass on its ‘legacy’ to one of today’s greatest talents: Cat Smits. She has now launched her own company, Cat Smits Company, which will receive multi-year funding from the Performing Arts Fund from 2025 onwards. We are also looking forward to the role of Pinocchio, played by yet another DPC talent: Josje Eijkenboom. Josje gave a wonderful performance as Reinaert’s daughter and as Mispoes in *Bremer Straatmuzikanten*. Alongside the puppeteers and the exceptional musicians of NEUE, we have the cream of vocal talent in the form of Vera Fiselier, Niek Idelenburg and Joris van Baar as the ‘feline trio’.