Sasha Allen as Leading Player and the cast of the National Tour of PIPPIN. Credit Terry Shapiro
PIPPIN: Musical Comedy. Book by Roger O. Hirson. Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. National tour @ SHN Golden Gate, 1 Taylor Street, San Francisco. 888-746-1799 or www.shnsf.com. September 23-October 19, 2014
PIPPIN flies high with magic at the Golden Gate Rating:[rating:5]
In 2006 there was an effort to revive Pippin for a National Road show starting at the GoodSpeed Opera House in Connecticut. The National Critics Institute at the Eugene O’Neil Theater Center sent a contingent to see the show and to interview the producers. In that production the concept of using a traveling circus format to inculcate Pippin into the real world was well received but there were problems working the circus into the storyline. The American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Mass under Diane Paulus’ ingenious direction turn that concept around creating a spectacular acrobatic circus show with the story secondary to the action.
The characters are all there but it is the Montreal circus troupe Les 7 Doigts de la Main guided by Gypsy Snider who honed her skill at our own Pickle Family Circus that creates a fantastic evening. All the action takes place in a Big Top tent complete with trapeze, rings aplenty and even acts of magic. Not all the members take part in the awe inspiring acrobatics but enough do to keep you wondering who will be tossed around or swing from the rafters. Throw in Stephen Schwartz’s score replete with a mixture of jazz, pop, memorable musical comedy songs and Bob Fosse’s original choreography and the evening is complete.
Into all this action our intrepid Pippin who is searching for meaning in his life takes poor advice from The Leading Player. In 1972 when the show opened on Broadway Ben Vereen gave a Tony Award winning performance as Leading Player that is usually played by man. Paulus has brought aboard the incomparable Sasha Allen to play the role.
Pippin (Matthew James Thomas) eldest son of Charlemagne/Charles (John Rubinstein who played the original Pippin in 1972) and the stepson of wicked Fastrada (Sabrina Harper). Unlike his gung-ho stepbrother Lewis (Callan Bergmann) Pippin is looking for “His Corner of the Sky.” After being told that “War is Science” he looks for “Glory” in war. That is not to be so how about trying “Simple Joys?” No? OK, go to see your grandmother Berthe (Lucie Arnaz to be replaced the final two weeks of the run with Tony winner Andrea Martin) and things will get better in “No Time at All.” He doesn’t follow grandma’s advice but listens to scheming Fastrada to “Spread a Little Sunshine” with a revolution by killing Charles and all will be well with “Morning Glory.”
Being a beneficent King is not what it was wrapped up to be when Politics rears its ugly head. Pippin abdicates after encouraging the Players to resurrect the assassinated King. Pippin is off the hook to get “On the Right Track.” After a plethora of sexual orgies he is “rescued” by widowed Catherine (Kristine Reese) who is “That Kind of Woman” and her son Theo (Zachary Mackiewiez alternating with Lucas Shultz). When the simple life is not for Pippin, the angry Player and her Players allow him to take part in the promised grand finale that is less than grand and has an unusual ending.
Forget the storyline and enjoy the stunning display of circus acts, marvelous songs that include audience participation and admire the brilliant acting and singing. The naivety of Pippin by Matthew James Thomas plus his grand singing voice are perfect foils for the sexpot gyrations and vocal range of Sasha Allen’s Leading Player. John Rubinstein accepts his fatherly role with aplomb and even has his turn with a knife throwing circus act. Sabrina Harper’s Fastrada oozes evil and sex contrasting with Kristine Reese’s excellent depiction of down-on-the-farm Catherine. There are many show stopping performances but the hands down opening night favorite was Lucie Arnaz as grandma Berthe. She alone is almost worth the price of admission. Running time is 2 hours and 40 minutes with an intermission. This is a not to be missed show.
CAST: Sasha Allen as Lead Player; Matthew James Thomas as Pippin; John Rubinstein as Charles; Sabrina Harper as Fastrada; Kristine Reese as Catherine, Lucie Arnaz as Berthe and Zachary Mackiewicz/Lucas Schultz alternate as Theo.
THE PLAYERS: Callan Bergmann, Skyler Adams, Sascha Bachmann, Bradley Benjamin, Dmitrious Bistrevsky, Mark Burrell, Mathew deGuzman, Fernando Dudka, Mirela Golinska Roche, Kelsey Jamieson, Preston Jamieson, Lisa Karlin, Alan Kelly, Melodie Lamoureux, Zachary Mackiewicz, Lucas Schultz, Tory Trowbridge, Mackenzie Warren, Borris York.
CREATIVE CREW: Scenic design by Scott Pask; Lighting design by Kenneth Posner; Costumes by Dominque Lemieux; Sound design by Jonathan Deans & Garth Helm; Illusions by Paul Kieve; Associate choreographers Mark Burrell & Brad Musgrove; Production stage manager Michael Danek; Music coordinator John Miller; Orchestrations by Larry Hochman; Music arrangements by Nadia DiGiallonardo; Circus creations by Gypsy Snider of Les 7 doigts de la main; Choreography by Chet Walker in the style of Bob Fosse; Directed by Diane Paulus.
Kedar K. Adour, MD
Courtesy of www.theatreworldinternetmagazine.com.
