PINOCCHIO. Maribor Puppet Theatre (Slovenia)

Inspired by Carlo Collodi novel ‘The Adventures of Pinocchio’

Director and visual designer: Matteo Spiazzi
Actor: Miha Bezeljak
Costume designer: Mojca Bernjak
Puppet and set maker: Primož Mihevc
Puppets painted by: Darka Erdelji
Lighting technicians: Grega Tanacek / Gašper Bohinec
Photos by: Boštjan Lah

Premiere: September 19, 2019 

The story of Pinocchio is an incredible adventure that has been a source of excitement for many generations and is still alive today. Pinocchio is a metaphor for how mistakes can also shape man. 

Mistakes aren’t necessarily something bad; they are often the only way to teach us how to better understand and change our lives. As Italian writer Gianni Rodari once said, ‘Mistakes are necessary, beneficial as bread, and often beautiful, just look at the Tower of Pisa.’ 

‘Pinocchio’ is not an ordinary performance. It is a performance that immerses itself in the puppetry world, immerses in the origin when the puppet is not yet an entirely manufactured and vivid object, but raw, rough material. In Pinocchio, the material is, of course, wood, a precious material that has accompanied humankind almost since the beginning. Wood, which barely promises to turn into something but with the help of the puppetry magic, we can see individual characters from the story, is joined by already made puppets inspired by old masters. In this adaptation, we return to the carpenter’s workshop where the carpenter’s tools revive, and pieces of wood on the carpenter’s table become a world of its own. Pinocchio goes on a journey, and we on an exploration of puppetry approaches. 

Maribor Puppet Theatre (slv.: Lutkovno gledališče Maribor) was established in 1974. Every year it produces six new performances and displays over 400 shows, as well as performing across the country, Europe and the world. 

Cooperation with various institutions, independent organizations and individuals increases the quality of the proprietary programme the theatre offers, brings the contents on offer to a wider audience, and further popularises the art of puppetry. The theatre aims to represent an attractive and modern puppet centre which – through creative imagination, understanding of the art of puppetry, and a good organization of additional contents – thoughtfully and sensibly addresses even the most demanding audiences of all ages.

Matteo Spiazzi is a famous director, actor, drama teacher and organizer of theatrical events. He worked in theaters in Italy, Poland, Slovenia, Estonia, Austria, Belarus, Russia, Ecuador. Matteo Matteo specializes in modern Commedia dell’Arte (Comedy of Masks) – a type of Italian folk theater whose performances are created by the method of improvisation, with the participation of professional actors wearing masks. Matteo is one of the founders of the project THEAOMAI (theatre, university, city) together with the University of Verona, he has repeatedly participated in seminars for the Theatre Biennale in Venice.