BWW Reviews: PIPPIN Revival Hits the Heights - Now thru October 19th

The air was crackling with excitement on opening night for the much anticipated revival of Pippin at San Francisco's Golden Gate Theatre. And for good reason. The show won four Tony Awards last year including Best Musical Revival, with Diane Paulus taking home the Tony for Best Director. Patina Miller as the Leading Player took home Best Actress, while Andrea Martin won Best Featured Actress. Not to be outdone, the national tour signed Sasha Allen, Lucie Arnaz, and John Rubinstein, not to mention Canada's circus troupe, Les 7 doigts de la main. Talk about the wow factor. Pippin is an exuberant, extravaganza of a show and it plays now through October 19 at SHN's Golden Gate Theatre.

Pippin is the story of Prince Pippin, son of Charlemagne in a time long ago, but it is deliberately set up to be timeless and unconventional. Pippin is restless after finishing college and sets out on a quest to find meaning and purpose for his life. He yearns for excitement and believes he will find happiness by leading an extraordinary life.

Enter the Leading Player (Sasha Allen) and a circus troupe of performers. Allen acts as Pippin's guide, suggesting various ways for him to fulfill his dreams. Happiness eludes poor Pippin and it isn't until the very end that he discovers the true passion of his life. The musical is a showcase for magic, daring acrobatic feats and dance that is sharply, sexily choreographed by Tony nominee Chet Walker who channels his mentor Bob Fosse for this revival.

Hodges and Hodges were throwing out jazz hands with anticipation as the circus tent rose to reveal the magical world that is - Pippin.

Linda: The opening sequence was a wonderful nod to Fosse, the incomparable choreographer of the original Pippin, who famously opened the show with sets of hands glowing on the stage. In the revival, instead of glowing hands we have the massive silhouette of the Leading Player looming large behind the circus tent, hands prominently splayed in true Fosse fashion, as the strains of Stephen Schwart's "Magic To Do" begin. Needless to say, the audience went wild for it.

Nick: Enter the circus troupe. They didn't waste any time impressing the audience with their acrobatics. Les 7 doigts de la main did a fantastic job as part of the ensemble of this production. All the high-flying thrills flowed seamlessly into the choreography. Just amazing.

Linda: I was impressed by the cast - dancers all, but many of them had never performed physical stunts like these before. The only time that something went "wrong" was when a hula-hoop bounced happily into the orchestra - which only added to the fun.

Nick: Let's talk about the Leading Player, played with consummate skill and wicked ease by Sasha Allen. I was a huge fan of hers growing up (she played "Dee" in the cult film Camp in 2003) so it was wonderful to finally see her live on stage. She was just phenomenal as the Leading Player.

Linda: Visually stunning to say the least, though I had a hard time understanding her at first.

Nick: Maybe that was just opening jitters or a sound glitch, because as the show went on I could understand her completely. I also liked that she wasn't a mirror image of Ben Vereen who originated the role on Broadway in 1972.

Linda: Well, there is, of course, a certain style that goes with the Leading Player, but she really made the part her own. Her voice was phenomenal. She sizzled on stage, especially during the so-called "Manson Trio Number," done exactly as Fosse originally choreographed it in 1972. Still stunning after all these years!

Nick: What a delectable treat. Sasha Allen hit the Leading Player out of the park! She was perfect.

Linda: She's the perfect guide for Pippin, who is played by Matthew James Thomas, the originator of the role on Broadway. Thomas' gentle voice is that of a dreamer. He's sure that life must have more to offer a would-be king.

Nick: Thomas is quite believable in the role. He sings the signature song "Corner of the Sky" with a sweet wistfulness that eventually morphs into strong conviction, which really is the trajectory of his character's journey through the story.

Linda: Another star "player" was John Rubinstein, who played Pippin in the original 1972 production. He's now playing Charlemagne or "Charles," Pippin's father. He was a wonderful, "full-circle" nostalgia choice for the role and was really funny.

Nick: I thought he was fantastic as well. When he was singing, "War Is a Science" his annunciation was superb during the ridiculously fast part of the song. I heard every word that spat out of his mouth. It was a delight.

Linda: I loved his comedic timing. He's a king who has seen it all and now his son is asking for the chance to make his name on the field of battle. And though Charles believes that his self-absorbed, yet brawny stepson Lewis (wonderful Callan Bergmann) is better suited to the task, he finally gives in to Pippin's wishes.

Nick: This upsets Fastrada (the sublime and supple Sabrina Harper), Pippin's stepmother, who is determined to fast-track her own son to the throne. But before we talk about how amazing Sabrina Harper was in this role I HAVE to give kudos to Dominique Lemieux's costume designs. All of them were unique but Fastrada's were dazzling. And the quick changes that Harper does during her numbers added a lot of razzle-dazzle to an already magical show.

Linda: Quick changes? I'd call them lightening changes. They were less than a second each and happened right on stage!

Nick: One moment she was in a peacock colored, one piece with black cape and in the blink of an eye she was in a flowing red gown with her hair rolling down her shoulders! Then all of a sudden she's decked on in a Chorus-Line-esque gold and sequin one-piece.

Linda: Lemieux outdid herself. Those quick changes made the audience gasp. She must have worked closely with Paul Kieve who was in charge of illusions.

Nick: Paul Kieve had his hands full in this show and did a great job. But let us get back to Sabrina Harper as Fastrada. She had the audience eating out of the palm of her hand the entire show. She was mesmerizing, memorable, and magical all rolled into one.

Linda: It was a stellar cast. Lucie Arnaz was spectacular as Berthe, Pippin's dear old Granny who, we find out, is actually a cougar to the core. Composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz gives her one of the best lines in musical theatre with "I believe if I refuse to grow old, I can stay young 'til I die."

Nick: That's in the song "No Time At All." It's an audience sing-along (chorus only of course) but that's not even the best part. The audience went wild when she took off her gown and revealed a sparkling outfit with a hot body to match (if you don't mind my saying).

Linda: Does that count as a spoiler, Nick? Well, since you already said that much...when she sprang into the air with that "daring young man on the flying trapeze" she definitely proved that she refused to grow old.

Nick: I couldn't believe all the acrobatics that she did! I'm still reeling at how amazing she was!

Linda: Pippin's journeys finally lead him to the ordinary life. But will settling down on the farm with the widow Catherine (the willowy sweet Kristine Reese) and her young son (the part is shared by Lucas Schultz and Zachary Mackiewicz) bring him the happiness he craves?

Nick: Okay, I have to say that in the farmyard scene the cast members who played the two chickens (unnamed in the credits) stole the scene. They were hilarious.

Linda: Agreed!

Nick: But the most interesting role is the Leading Player. So long as Pippin is doing her bidding, she's fine. But when he strays from the script, she's heartless.

Linda: She definitely wants things her way. Leading Pippin from war to unbridled sexual experimentation; through rebellion, then politics, the arts and religion, it is clear that her passion is excitement for excitement's sake.

Nick: And in the end, at least for Pippin, that excitement loses its charm and he finds no meaning in the rush.

Linda: It's an oft-told story - the search for meaning leads you to your own backyard. Or in this case - the farmyard.

Nick: I think all young people feel at one point or another that they will change the world, but I think the true meaning of the show is in being able to find happiness in the ordinary things.

Linda: What's interesting is that this show is anything but ordinary. Adding to the magic is Kenneth Posner's lighting design, which dramatically captures the Fosse beginning and then takes us through the various milestones along Pippin's journey - while Scott Pask's scenic design does much to anchor the various moods of the show with deceptively simple sets. From full-on circus, to palace and battleground and beyond - and then to a fully stripped set, his work is sheer genius.

Nick: Pippin is a story made for theatrical extravagance and this production goes full-throttle.

Linda: Absolutely worth going to see.

Nick: Get your tickets now. There's magic to be seen!

PIPPIN
Book by Roger O. Hirson
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Schwartz
Directed by Diane Paulus
Now through Oct 19, 2014
www.shnsf.com/online/pippin
Photos courtesy of Terry Shapiro

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