This weekend I had the pleasure of seeing the touring production of Pippin at the Scranton Cultural Center. Having little knowledge of plot but having listened to the cast album prior, I was honestly shocked as to the concept of the musical. The story follows a circus-esque troupe as they tell the story of Pippin, the son of Charlegmagne, as he searches to find where he belongs in life. The show is a spectacle in itself and includes acrobats, an elaborate set design and frequent costume changes.
This production was the touring product of the 2012 Broadway Revival of Pippin. Because of the time Pippin spent on Broadway in recent years, I was familiar with the music and Patina Miller’s Tony Award Winning performance as the “Leading Player” of the troupe. The Leading Player in the touring production is charismatic and alluring but doesn’t live up to Patina Miller’s performance.
Pippin is a lost soul striving for an extraordinary life. On the way to locating his extraordinary life, Pippin kils his father, becomes king of his country, falls in love with a widow and explores a variety of other opportunities.
If you’re looking for a traditional musical, Pippin is not it. The cast consistently acknowledges the audience and encourages the audience to sing along. The set is taken apart towards the end of the production and the audience members are greeted with a view of a bare stage and everything occuring backstage.
The show maintains the style of the show’s original director, Bob Fosse, combined with Cirque de Soleil meets Chicago. In complete honesty, the acrobatics were stressful as they were defying nature and came dangerously close to catastophe several times. I often found the elaborate spectacle of it all to detract from the storyline which is undercut with double-meanings.
The highlight of the production was the music. The first act is filled with the production’s most important songs including, Magic To Do, Corner Of The Sky, Glory and Morning Glow. The second act left me confused and waiting for more. Personally, I would have liked a more conrete resolution to the show but the conclusion definitely fits the storyline. I would encourage people to see this production but I would advise against bringing children as the show is filled with mature themes (rape, suicice, incest, murder, etc.).