Birmingham’s Old Joint Stock Theatre is to present its first family Christmas show, a musical reimagining of the classic tale Pinocchio.
Written by Holly Mallett, the new adaptation “promises festive fun, rich storytelling and a production brimming with music and magic”. Mallett’s first show, Medusa’s First Kiss—a queer, punk-rock, teen reimagining of the Greek myth—was co-written with Poppy Burton-Morgan and enjoyed a 10-week run at London’s Little Angel Theatre in 2024.
The Old Joint Stock’s artistic director James Edge said, “after a year that will see us pushing the limits of what can be achieved professionally in our intimate fringe space with huge shows like Be More Chill (music and lyrics by Joe Iconis, book by Joe Tracz), we’re excited to stage new work for the Christmas season. We’ll be assembling an experienced and innovative creative team to bring this family classic to life with a festive twist.”
Pinocchio will be directed by Emily Susanne Lloyd and will run at the Old Joint Stock from Thursday 18 until Tuesday 30 December. The theatre will be presenting a second festive show, It's a Wonderful Knife—Christmas Dundee from Wednesday 3 until Tuesday 30 December.