Playwright: Andrew Park and the ensemble after Carlo Collodi
At: Quest Theatre Ensemble at Klasen Hall, 1609 W. Gregory
Phone: 312-458-0895;
Free, but reservations requested
Through Aug. 20
BY SCOTT C. MORGAN
What validates Quest Theatre Ensemble's Pinocchio as belonging to 'The People?' Why, it's free of charge, of course.
Quest is a creative young company known as much for eschewing ticket sales as it is for its stylized puppets and masks. The company's open-admissions policy makes live theater accessible to everybody ( though they do beg for donations at the end ) .
So you feel a bit guilty at pointing out this bargain Pinocchio's problems when it comes in such an energetic and visually dazzling package.
Director Andrew Parks explains in the program notes that he conceived Quest's Pinocchio based more upon Carlo Collodi's original ( and more violent ) Italian novel than Walt Disney's better-known ( and softened ) 1940 animated film. This wouldn't be a problem if Quest had spent more time piecing together a more coherent and explanatory adaptation ( no single author is credited ) .
Unlike Quest's 2005 version of The Wizard of Oz, there isn't the overwhelmingly built-in audience familiarity with the tale of a wooden puppet who comes to life. So when Pinocchio gets strung up by a noose after encountering an enormous snake, a quartet of bunnies bearing a coffin and a female dancing puppet ( Gwynne Crowley's lovely Blue Fairy in disguise ) , you have no idea what and why things are happening unless you've read the original.
Pinocchio traditionalists will also grumble about Quest's decision to omit some major plot points ( such as Pinocchio being duped by a fox and cat and, later, transforming into a donkey ) . Park's benevolent and quiet Buddhist overlay on the title character is also questionable. ( In the original, Pinocchio is a violent chatterbox who belligerently misbehaves to the point of killing one of his lecturers. )
There are additions to the original, ranging from Jason Bowen's confusing singing hippie sun to Leslie Hull's deliciously seductive spider that sweet-talks Austin Oie's talking cricket. Allison Kane's musical song adaptations are also fun.
Everything is constantly attention-getting in Pinocchio, but there's very little clarity to the jumbled storytelling. Despite this, Quest's speedy Pinocchio redeems itself by being visually compelling throughout and abounding with enthusiastic performances.
Designers Nick Rupard, Amanda Church and Jason Bowen have all helped establish a distinctive look for the production, and it's amazing how professional things are on such a shoestring budget.
Hidden behind a mask for most of the show as Pinocchio, Josh Hoover does a great job of registering his silent wonder at everything, though you wish the script could have let him been more proactive. As Pinocchio's carver father Gepetto, Vincent L. Lonergan is wonderfully quirky.
Quest's Pinocchio is far from perfect. But when you see such dedication and creative outpouring on display, you're willing to forgive the company's storytelling sins ( just as Pinocchio's own misdeeds are forgiven when he proves his worth to become a real boy ) . Quest proves once again with its Pinocchio that it's a rising company to watch.