Pinocchio busts back into Joburg Theatre with more glitter, giggles and mayhem than ever before

The cast of pantomime, Pinocchio, on stage at the Joburg Theatre. Credit: enroC 

If you heard loud laughter, saw a suspicious number of pointy noses, or spotted a grown adult arguing with a cricket this weekend, don’t panic—Pinocchio has officially returned to Joburg Theatre, and the city may never recover.

South Africa’s most cherished holiday theatre tradition is back, brighter and more mischievous than ever. Legendary theatre maker Janice Honeyman returns for her 38th annual pantomime, bringing an all-new, laugh-loaded production of Pinocchio.

This year’s production is a spectacular carnival of stagecraft—packed with music, dance, circus magic, puppet shows, techno-trains, pirate ships, and an unforgettable cast of characters.

From the gentle Papa Geppetto to the mischievous Pussy Galore and the wise, ever-patient Jiminy Cricket, audiences will journey alongside Pinocchio through wonder, temptation and transformation.

The holiday favourite has burst back onto the stage in a sparkling tornado of music, magic, and mischievous mayhem. Audiences have already been swept into a world where puppets dream big, fairies dispense wisdom with flair, and wooden boys learn very quickly that lying is not a sport.

The cast of pantomime, Pinocchio, on stage at the Joburg Theatre. Credit: enroC 

If your child got their face painted, you snapped 27 photos in the foyer, or you accidentally sang louder than your toddler—thank you. You helped power the madness.

This year marks the 38th annual Janice Honeyman pantomime—yes, thirty-eight; she has directed more pantos than some of us have kept houseplants alive.

Honeyman, whose signature sparkle has defined South Africa’s pantomime tradition for nearly four decades, brings Carlo Collodi’s beloved tale to life with a fresh dose of comedy, chaos and charm.

“Pinocchio was the first live children’s play I saw — at the age of 6 — and it made a vivid impression on me!” Honeyman says. “All these years later, I’m still digging and delving into this story, trying to conjure all its fun, humour, detail, atmosphere, and the host of rich lessons Collodi has to teach.”

And true to form, Honeyman has unleashed an all-new, riotously joyful production of Pinocchio.

The cast of pantomime, Pinocchio, on stage at the Joburg Theatre. Credit: enroC 

What makes this year's production of Pinocchio more relevant is that it includes a number of songs and terms made popular by social media TikTok. The production has also cleverly enabled the cast to include the audience in the madness, singing and dancing along at the end.

“There’s music, dance, comedy, a puppet-show, journeys into scary areas, and adventures into unknown zones! And everything Pinocchio experiences, you can take part in too!” Honeyman adds.

“Expect stunning sets, crazy-colourful Commedia costumes, toe-tapping tunes, a silly sing-along, and bursts of belly-laughs. It’s my fulsome, funny and heart-felt holiday gift to you all!”

Indeed, the costumes are stunning. And they are plenty galore. The stage setting is also amazing with 3-D digital screens and sound effects.

The cast of pantomime, Pinocchio, on stage at the Joburg Theatre. Credit: enroC 

This is a high-energy, heart-filled, and hilariously entertaining ride through the classic tale of the puppet who dreamed of becoming a real boy.

Pinocchio is met by very naughty characters, who try to exploit and mislead him - they are the bad news spreaders, the mischievous makers and influence Pinocchio to be the naughtiest naughty of them all.

Joburg Theatre CEO Xoliswa Ngema summed it up perfectly:

“This year’s pantomime continues our legacy of joyful, world-class storytelling for the whole family. With Janice Honeyman at the helm, we know audiences are in for a visual feast, plenty of surprises, and a heartfelt message at the core.”

Expect lights that dazzle, sets that transform like magic tricks, and costumes that look like a rainbow went to fashion school.

The cast of pantomime, Pinocchio, on stage at the Joburg Theatre. Credit: enroC 

The chaos and charm is brought to life on stage by a world-class cast include Katlego Nche asthe lovable, bendy-jointed dreamer Pinocchio, Bongi Archi is the tender-hearted toy-maker Geppetto Spoletto, Gina Shmukler floats in as the Blue Fairy of Goodness Gracious, sparkles included.

Sandi Dlangalala plays Jiminy Cricket—wise, witty, and probably the only character with common sense and Tiaan Rautenbach explodes onto the stage as Dame Arletti Spaghetti, the fiercest, funniest Italian mama outside of Napoli.

And then there are the troublemakers—affectionately known as “the naughties”—who specialise in mischief, manipulation and questionable lifestyle choices. They include: Mark Richardson (Strombolio), Luciano Zuppa (Masterigo and Fiddelomino), Brenda Radloff (Ill Fortunato Fox), Camilla Waldman (Pussy Galore), and Lesedi Rich (Lampwick).

Plus a superb ensemble who dance, sing, twirl, tumble and occasionally turn into donkeys. (It’s that kind of show.)

Pinocchio is on the Mandela Stage at Joburg Theatre running from 31 October to 24 December 2025.

Tickets are available at http://www.joburgtheatre.com

For school bookings: Please contact Sizwe on thandisizwe@joburgtheatre.com or 011 877 6917; or Happiness - 011 877 6853 or on happiness@joburgtheatre.com

Parental guidance is advised– some adult humour included.