Pippin

April 17th 2007 12:00 am | Theatre | Review - By Diana Simmonds

Kookaburra up a gum tree with Pippin.

Meanwhile, dollops of the cream of musical theatre talent have busted their buns to drag Pippin from well deserved obscurity. That they ultimately fail is not their fault.

Starting from the very beginning - the title. How could anybody (even someone who had already written Godspell) have thought a hero named Pippin was a good idea? Why not call him Ditzy or Prince Stupidhead and have done with it? In the goofy 70s it might just have been possible to get away with it ... but actually, no, it wasn't. The downhill slide continues with a story that may have its origins in history but is nevertheless, silly as a wheel.

Historically Pippin was actually Pepin the Hunchback, younger son of Charlemagne, the emperor who united France. Despite Phantom, however, differently-abled persons are not popular in musical theatre, so this Pippin is a spunky, hunky young thing. He comes home from uni dissatisfied with the prospect of court life and instead heads off to seek experience and meaning. There are curious elements of The Truman Show in the mix of "real" and make believe - and Matt Robinson displays some of Jim Carrey's manic innocence as Pippin is steered on his adventures by The Leading Player who may be the Devil, and who surrounds him with fourth-wall breaking performers and knowing asides to the audience.

Pippin Pippin investigates sex, war and religion and all are found wanting. Ennui and disillusion reign. He shimmies half-heartedly through a psychedelic-style orgy or two, a peasant revolt and even patricide with nary a backward glance. Conscience, morality and even plausibility are notably absent, which might have been interesting concepts in other hands (Sondheim, for instance). In the second half he meets Catherine, a widow and foot fetishist with a young son and a duck. He succumbs to the idea of falling in love with all the conviction of a Bollywood star bopping into an arranged marriage.

Of the players, Matthew Robinson is exceedingly cute and can sing, but doesn't do innocent very well. Catherine is played with considerable and typical charm by Sharon Millerchip and she lights up the second half. The first half highlight is in the scene-stealing hands of glam and savvy Trisha Noble as Pippin's grandmother. As The Leading Player, Bert Labonte is great to look at, can sing and dance up a storm but entirely lacks devilishness - he desperately needs to project a touch of Scarpia.

This article has multiple pages. Next ->

Pages: <-Previous | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next ->

Send to Friend | Archive | Home | Subscribe