Theatre Royal Drury Lane – 29 and 30 April 2024
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
5*****
There have been some hit and miss productions of Stephen Schwartz’s weird and wonderful Pippin, but the instantly recognisable musical numbers have endured and endeared themselves in theatrical history. This magnificent celebratory concert has style, seedy glamour and delirious silliness – seducing the audience much more easily than the Players can seduce Pippin. With a cast to die for, this production is musical theatre paradise.
Director Jonathan O’Boyle strips back the show – there is no need to lean into the magic tricks recent productions have used when you have talent like this enchanting the audience. Polly Sullivan’s inspired costume design is a heady mix of sequinned costumes with Fosse inspired choreography by Joanna Goodwin making the most of the remaining space on the stage in front of the wonderful LMT Orchestra led by Chris Ma and the ArtsEd Choir.
Roger O. Hirson’s book is adapted cleverly to fit the concert structure, and the flimsy plot is explained with wit and knowing asides by the magnificent Alex Newell as the Leading Player, commanding the stage from the moment they appear in the spotlight.
The Players perform the story of Pippin, son of Charlemagne – an unhappy youth seeking fulfilment and happiness. The Players (Jak Allen-Anderson, Sally Frith, Amonik Melaco and Gleanne Purcell-Brown) guide him through his search as he tries being a warrior, living a life full of sexual pleasure, patricide and monarchy before running away to an anonymous and ordinary life before being offered the chance to become the showstopping grand finale. In this production, the Players true intentions are always clear, as Newell struts around the stage narrating with glee, and bickering with characters who aren’t following their script. Newell’s vocals are sublime – full of power and passion.
This cast understood their assignment – every performance, every gesture, is zinging with camp, silly, infectious energy. Lucie Jones’s Catherine is delightfully comic, always pushing back at the Leading Player. Jones appears fleetingly in the first act, but it’s worth the wait for her glorious renditions of Kind of Woman and I Guess I’ll Miss the Man. Jac Yarrow is a joy to watch as Pippin, switching from cheeky and silly to wistful or cruel easily and nailing his vocals, especially in Corner of the Sky. Cedric Neal makes Charlemagne cool, Idriss Kargbo is insanely petulant and ridiculous as Pippin’s rival Lewis, Ryan Heenan is wonderfully sweet and earnest as young Theo, and Zizi Strallen bring the house down with her outrageous burlesque rendition of Spread a Little Sunshine as Fastrada – a huge surprise for those who have only seen her as Mary Poppins! Patricia Hodge, the original West End Catherine in the 1970s, takes the role of Pippin’s grandmother Berthe, and creates the most heart-warming and uplifting moment of the night as she leads the audience in a singalong of No Time at All.
With only two performances, this is THE event of the year so far. If you are lucky enough to experience this live, this unforgettable production will thrill and energise. Unmissable.