Finazzer Flory's Pinocchio Hits New York City

Forget Walt Disney's version of Pinocchio and dust off Collodi's book from your shelf. It may appear to be an entirely different story from the one depicted in the movie, but this original version of the wooden puppet's adventures, written by Carlo Collodi in 1881,  deserves to be better known. 

This is why someone decided to promote it with a particular show that landed at Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimo'. The idea came to Massimiliano Finazzer Flory, who directed and performed the show "Pinocchio. The story of a puppet."

“After his interpretation of the 'I Promessi Sposi' by Manzoni two years ago, he kept focusing on the central knots of Italian culture and literature. And he does that in a very creative way: he takes a literary text and transforms it into a text for the stage. In doing that, he tries to use everything he can to create this 'magic' that the theater affords us” - said the director of Casa Italiana, Stefano Albertini, presenting the show. 

The performance traveled through the most important parts of the novel, from the creation of the puppet, through the escape from the dog-fish's mouth , and to the meeting with the Talking Cricket, the Fox and the Cat. 

For those who have only seen the Disney's version some parts of the story may have seemed anomalous: the beginning, for example, is set in the shop of Master Cherry, a carpenter who discovers that a piece of wood, destined to become a table's leg, is alive. The story itself does not begin with Master Geppetto, but with a different character, who then gives  him the piece of wood. Other differences can be found in the Fox and Cat's episode, when they set a trap in order to get Pinocchio's money by guiding him to the Field of Miracles, and in the escape from the dog-fish's mouth, where Pinocchio and Geppetto meet a tuna who helps them to arrive to the shore. 

Moreover, the performance itself is a one man show performed by Finazzer Flory, who embodies every single character of the novel, including the narrator. The show is an original story telling of a great novel, enriched by the dance performances of Michela Lucenti, who is also the show's choreographer, and Emanuela Serra, both reproducing different episodes of the story. They switch between being the puppet and the Fairy with turquoise hair, the marionettes, the Fox and the Cat and the Talking Cricket. 

The show is a combination of narration, acting, dance and piano music performed by Gianluca Pezzino with music by Nino Rota and Fiorenzo Carpi. A great tribute to a book that, even with its hundred and thirty two years of history, addresses situations and feelings that are still relevant today. “It is not only a children's book, if it is a children's book at all. It is a book that you can interpret in as many way and at many levels as you want” – underlined Albertini while introducing the play.

This new and multi disciplinary performance will not just stay in New York City. Performances are scheduled  in Hartford, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington and Houston during the month of March 2013.