Review: Monumental Theatre Company's PIPPIN is a Faithful Revival

Pippin may be one of the most timeless American musicals ever written. No matter when or where it is presented, the production is easily molded to fit the social circumstances of the day. Whether the original Fosse-helmed production, the Diane Paulus circus-themed 2013 revival, or a regional production that falls in between, Pippin's journey of self-discovery is one that allows for-even encourages-reinvention and improvement. Fresh off their victory of The John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company at this May's Helen Hayes Awards, Monumental Theatre Company's newest production presents Pippin as a coming of age tale for the millennial generation. The millennial spin is understandable but, unfortunately, the execution prevents Pippin's extraordinary tale from becoming more than an ordinary revival.

The Leading Player (Solomon Parker) welcomes the audience to the magical tale of Pippin (Tiziano D'Affuso), a young man searching for something meaningful out of life. The son of King Charles (DeCarlo Raspberry), Pippin searches for meaning in the places royalty often does: war, excessive frolicking, and leading his own revolt against his tyrannical father. Compelled by his stepmother, Fastrada (Rachel Barlaam), Pippin reshapes the course of his kingdom without necessarily knowing his ultimate vision for the world. All the while, the lines between performance and reality are blurred by the Leading Player and his merry troupe.

There's a lot to unpack in Pippin thanks in large part to Roger O. Hirson's notoriously tricky book. Clearly delineating between what is real and what is performed is difficult and makes some of the moments in act two-when the Leading Player begins to break the fourth wall more and more-a big challenge. My guest at Sunday's performance was unfamiliar with Pippin and did not realize the musical was structured as a show-within-a-show until my informing her of this after the musical's conclusion. This confusion can easily be attributed to an often unclear book. Unfortunately, the artistic vision for Monumental's revival doesn't make the play-within-a-play any easier to follow.

Monumental's Pippin is billed as the Pippin for the millennial generation. Director Rebecca Wahls has laid some good groundwork by including the use of phones and social media throughout the production. There's something missing from the vision, however, as these elements never see much payoff. By the time we reach Pippin's famous climax, most of the ensemble has stashed their phones for good, making it unclear why they were included initially.

Even if the creative spin for this production falls short, there's still a lot to love in this dutiful revival. Pippin, a role that can turn incredibly boring despite having some of the prettiest tenor ballads of the American musical canon, is played with true heart and realness by Mr. D'Affuso. His emotions, for the most part, are very subdued and there's a genuine conflict he brings to Pippin's inability to settle into an ordinary existence. Similarly, Mr. Parker encompasses many traits of a strong Leading Player. Vocally, he delivers some of the greatest riffs you'll hear from a male performer this year. Both actors, however, occasionally suffer vocal fatigue thanks to Ahmad Maaty's demanding choreography, momentarily breaking the illusion of this production.

The rest of the ensemble fills out nicely. Mr. Raspberry is just powerful enough to make King Charles a believable villain without losing out on winning showmanship. Ms. Barlaam has some of the best vocals of the evening and chews the scenery as much as she can in Fastrada's limited stage time. Chani Wereley is a welcome addition as Pippin's love interest Catherine in the second act. As Berthe, Pippin's eccentric grandmother, Kaitlin Kemp delivers a show-stopping performance filled with comedy and heart. While all of the performers excel, clashing performance styles (for example, Ms. Kemp is delightfully over-the-top which, while entertaining, doesn't always work when playing across from the grounded and subdued Mr. D'Affuso) can occasionally create a disconnect onstage.

Working in the intimate space of Episcopal High School's Ainslie Arts Center, the creative team has worked their own magic. James Raymond's bare-bones scenic design provides enough of a playground for the performers without encroaching upon the audience. Jason Aufdem-Brinke's lighting design never falters, allowing for dynamic additions to the action onstage. The only area where the creative team makes a misstep is Kateri Kuhn's costume design. When working with a stripped down design, having a lacking cohesion among the ensemble causes some disconnect as multiple time periods and levels of formality are present across the stage. Regardless, the design is still impressive overall.

This production of Pippin doesn't necessarily reinvent this tale in the same way Monumental Theatre thinks it will. Nonetheless, the show is a great example of why this theater company is one of the foremost young organizations in the D.C. area. Much like Pippin himself, the company will continue finding its voice as it grows and experiments with works that speak to the heart of the millennial generation. Until then, it is perfectly fine to settle for an enjoyable and faithfully-executed revival of a classic.

Pippin runs approximately 2 hours including one 15-minute intermission and plays through July 30 at the Ainslie Arts Center on the campus of Episcopal High School. For more information and tickets, click here.

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Sam Abney is a Washington, D.C. based arts professional. A native of Arizona, he has happily made D.C. his new home. Sam is a graduate from George Mason University with a degree in Communication and currently works for Arena Stage as a member of their Development team. He is a life-long lover of theater and is excited about sharing his passion with as many people as possible.

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