“Once upon a time, there was a simple piece of wood that realised –  to be real, you just have to be good.”

As the narrator’s voice echoes through the Theatre at the 41st Sharjah International Book Fair is being held, a massive LED screen lights up and an excited audience of children, youth and families turn to watch a mesmerising performance of ‘Pinocchio on Ice.’

The LED screen, which serves as an extension of the stage, has been cleverly used as a prop to create the inside of Geppetto’s workshop, as well as show Pinocchio’s many adventures in the city, including the delightful scenes that unfold at the circus.

The 20-minute show is punctuated with artfully choreographed dance routines, including the epic scene where he lies, and his nose starts to grow.

“Do you get the lesson now?” The narrator asks the young audience in a deep voice as the play ends. “Are you ready to be a good boy?”

“The play is being performed on ice to have a wow effect. It’s very unusual to have an ice show inside a theatre,” said Cosimo Bruno, Producer, DayDreamers Entertainment, who chose this particular story as part of Italy’s Guest of Honour programme at the 12-day cultural extravaganza.