Pippin

Music Box Theatre, New York City

*****

Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

Directed by Diane Paulus 

Pippin is a show of quirky historical provenance. It tells of the time of medieval French emperor Charlemagne who was committed to expanding Christendom and slaughtering non-believers. Pippin was his student son, ostensibly committed to the people and appalled at his fathers tyranny. As the show unfolds Pippin discovers rebellion, love and sex and from these potent threads does Schwartz craft his tale. Written some forty years ago against a backdrop of a USA enmeshed in the Vietnam War, American anti-Communist policies garnering questionable popularity and a nation reeling from the sacrifice of thousands of US troops in a far-off conflict of dubious purpose, there are moments when Pippin's message deafens with a contemporary resonance.

Schwartz's tale is told by a group of travelling players and set almost entirely as a play within a play. It is in Diane Paulus' interpretation of this show however, that musical theatre is re-defined. The troupe's Leading Player invites the audience to join her in watching their imminent spectacle in Magic To Do and hers and the company's superlative-fuelled descriptions are not hollow promises. The vision of Paulus’ production is quite-simply jaw dropping. The players perform in an on-stage circus ring, but where for example Barnum tried superficially to recreate a circus on stage, this show uses world class circus skills as the simple means to tell its story.Circus is the medium rather than the message and with illusions and stunts that are often breathtaking, it is truly rare to encounter a show that presents such a display of sheer human talent with minimal gimmickry.

Gabrielle McClinton understudied magnificently as the Leading Player. Her poise and coquette-ish cocked hat every inch a nod to the original work of Bob Fosse in whose style Chet Walker has choreographed this production. Both vocally and in her physical presence she held her audience rapt, showing as is often the case the energetic enthusiasm of the understudy who brings a fresh proud vigour to their performance.

Brit, Matthew James Thomas provides just the right amount of youthful naïveté to Pippin. Vocally perhaps not completely warmed up for the show's signature number, Corner Of The Sky, he was beautifully on his game for a spine tingling Morning Glow that closed the first act.

Key featured actors include fellow brit Terrence Mann as emperor Charles. The Yanks just can't resist an Englishman to play the bad guy and Mann does not disappoint. Laconically corrupted by absolute power, his War Is A Science is a cracking turn whose lyrics, on closer study, are a horrific comment upon the slaughter of war. Mann's real-life spouse Charlotte D'Amboise plays his on-stage wife Fastrada with a treacherously sly allure, whilst Rachel Bay Jones is widowed single mum and Pippin's love interest Catherine, bringing just the right amount of kookiness to remind us that the show was written when memories of the hippy 1960s would still be fresh

It is down to cast newcomer Tovah Feldshuh as Pippin's grandmother Berthe to provide the evening's show-stopper. Whilst her number No Time At All was always written as a singalong piece, Schwartz can surely never have imagined that it would be sung by a sexagenarian actress, suspending herself from a trapeze high above the stage, (sterling physical accompaniment from the muscular Yannick Thomas, up there with her) as she sings the brilliant yet powerfully poignant shtick of lyrics that tell of a rudely youthful and vigorous mind reluctantly forced to acknowledge the constraints of an ageing body. Feldshuh's routine is flawless theatrical excellence.

Schwartz's melodies are inspired, his harmonies sublime and with lyrics that are often outstanding, he can be forgiven the odd lapse (a "left-handed flea" anyone?) in his pursuit of gloriously assonant rhyme at all costs. (And in an un-related hint of possible post-Pippin plagiarism, listen carefully to the middle bars of Pippin's Glory and ponder if they might have inspired John Kander's opening bars of All That Jazz from his and Fred Ebb's Chicago that was to hit Broadway some three years later.)

This band of travelling players, or at the very least their production, need to do what Charlemagne failed to achieve. Land in Britain, conquer the West End (soon) and run for years.

For a glimpse of the magic that this show represents, watch this video.

Pippin - New Broadway Cast Recording

*****

Music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz

This review was first published on The Public Reviews

It is 40 years since Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin first arrived on Broadway. On paper it’s a quirky show, inspired by the historical reign of Charlemagne whose empaire in the early Middle Ages stretched from what is now modern day France through Germany to Italy and zooming in on the Emperor’s eldest son Pippin. This is not your standard “boy meets girl” musical love story, but more an exploration of a young man trying to find himself and define his relationships with his powerful dominant father Charles, a conniving wicked stepmother Fastrada who is out to prefer her natural son, an enchanting grandmother who his father has exiled and ultimately the young widowed Catherine, mother of a young son, who falls for him. With parables of war at its core and Vietnam clawing at the psyche of 1970s America, the show was acclaimed by New York on its opening and under Bob Fosse’s direction it garnered numerous awards and nominations. This new Broadway version is already living up to its predecessor’s standards and is the most nominated show in town so far for 2013.

The recording of this work is simply an invigorating joy to listen to. Patina Miller, who as this review is written is a Tony Nominee for Leading Actress, opens the show as the Leading Player with the instantly recognisable Magic To Do, though in line with this production’s values the song is as stunning as it is familiar. Her troupe of Players are a clever creation by Schwartz, acting  as both guide and Chorus to the shows protagonists. Corner Of The Sky, perhaps the show’s most recognised number follows next on the album, and as Pippin, Matthew James Thomas combines youth with a strength of purpose and a clever blend of naivete and assertiveness. The tonal talents of this young actor mark him out as a truly remarkable performer.

Andrea Martin as Grandmother Berthe has a rudely glorious number with No Time At All, as she wryly looks back on life from her senior age. Her line “when your best days are yester, the rest’re twice as dear” is but one example of Schwartz’s razor sharp wit that makes this song, recorded with an audience sing-a-long chorus that could so easily be cheesy but is in fact exhilarating, an absolute delight. Charlotte d’Amboise as the maturely seductive Fastrada sings of having youthfully sulked and pouted in her coyly delivered Spread A Little Sunshine, but the song is a thinly veiled description of a seductress still very well aware of her charms and wiles and also transfers seamlessly to the recorded medium. As Catherine, Rachel Bay Jones gets a handful of solos, with Kind Of Woman being a tale of an ordinary independently minded, yet still “wonderful girl”, whilst I Guess I’ll Miss The Man is a poignant realisation that Pippin has still to journey on and leave her, as he seeks to discover his destiny.

Schwartz is that rare writer/composer who not only has a perceptive eye and witty mind, but also the ability to harness these talents to mainstream commercial success, an achievement that few, if any of his creative peers can match. This recording mirrors the writer’s talents. It’s a perfect copy of a strong story, told with recording values that capture not only the talent of musicians and actors, but also encapsulate the spirit of the live staged show. If you love musical theatre then this recording has to be a part of your collection. You will not be disappointed, it truly is magic for you.


Available from Sh-K-Boom Records