As I said goodbye to my time at the University of Leeds, I knew I had to go and see one final Leeds University Union Musical Theatre Society performance. Having seen multiple shows throughout my time at Leeds, and writing my first Her Campus article as a review of Bonnie and Clyde in 2023, it felt pretty full circle. It is fair to say that this society never fails to amaze me.
As I walked into the waiting room before the Pyramid Theatre, the room was buzzing with excitement, entering the world of Stephen Schwartz’s Pippin before the show had even begun, with red and yellow fabrics covering the room in a carnival style. Everyone knew they were in for a treat. The colour theme continued as I entered the theatre, transferring you into a dream, carnivalesque world. The handmade clouds, moon and sun gave a sense of fairytale storytelling, framing the escapist tone of the show. My favourite aspects of most university productions are the handmade set pieces, as they demonstrate the effort put into bringing the audience into not just a performance, but an experience. This, I think the production team of Pippin did very well. I was welcomed by Millie, the show’s wonderful director, and I took my seat.
Pippin, an eponymous story, follows the title character, Pippin, as he comes of age and begins to figure out what he wants to do with his life. Pippin desperately searches to be fulfilled and do something with purpose, which he struggles to find. He begins by joining his tyrannical father’s army, but after facing much bloodshed, he realises it is unjust and only part of his father’s desire for endless control. He learns from experiences of pleasure, power and love, with lessons from his family along the way. Finally, we begin to see a turn in the story and a new outlook on all that we have previously seen, as we realise the central role of the players in Pippin’s story, which he ultimately breaks free of. With it being a very interesting and mind-twisting story, I was excited to see how the society would present this.
I honestly think that my favourite aspect of the entire performance was the costumes. Every character and player had their own unique style, which gave them each a stand-out identity. I think sometimes an ensemble can be taken for granted, and that they never should, but this costuming technique certainly made sure all of the cast stood out to the audience in their own personal way. The array of patterns, colours, fabrics and styles on show during the performance were beautifully coordinated to create a bright and playful atmosphere alongside the story’s events. I also enjoyed how the central characters were identifiable by their outfits. Edie Gray, as the leading player, wore a black and red outfit, reflecting a ringmaster, and therefore contrasting the colourfulness surrounding her. Pippin, played by Aaron Collins, wore a simple, linen outfit, which I think reflected his standing in reality compared to the players constantly surrounding him on stage. The attention given to the use of makeup in the show was also largely commendable. As a tool of creativity and a way to make each character unique, beautifully bright eyeshadow, gems, and impressive eyeliner added an extra essence to each costume. There was also a use of face paint, such as a clown face on Player Ash Mallen, which again added to his persona within the surreal circus world.
Edie Gray owned the stage with her prologue performance of ‘Magic to Do’. Her embodiment of a powerful and magical ringmaster set an eerie tone for the show, which played well against the circus themes. This song perfectly broke the fourth wall to the audience surrounding the players. As we then meet Pippin, Collin’s rendition of ‘Corner of the Sky’ demonstrated his applaudable vocals. This was the one song I knew already from the show, often listening to the Broadway Cast recording when I was younger. It is a beautiful song outlining Pippin’s need to find his personal purpose, or, as he states, his ‘Corner of the Sky’. The song is central to the show’s focus, and is artistically repeated throughout.
Pippin returns home to his father, King Charlemagne, in the hope of his aid in finding his purpose. However, he is instead met with his indifference, consumed by his own tyrannical goals. Elliot King embodied the role with brilliant comedic timing, accompanied by Sean Bailes playing Pippin’s stepbrother, and Becky Hughes playing Fastrada. Particularly Hughes’s performance of ‘Spread a Little Sunshine’ was super fun and uplifting. These three character portrayals perfectly fit together to contrast Pippin’s uncertainty and satirically entertain the audience amongst Pippin’s search for purpose.
However, beyond this comedic portrayal, the ensemble came together to display the bloodshed behind Charlemagne’s war in ‘Glory’. With a strong presence of appropriate red lighting, this turned the tone to the darkness of war, whilst maintaining the tongue and cheekiness sustained throughout the show via choreographed, comedic duo fighting stints. Pippin, present in this scene, then realises the revelatory guilt of murder during war. The strength of the ensemble is then carried into the next of Pippin’s experiences of pleasure and power. It is certainly becoming apparent that they are present for all of his phases, which seems like the usual role of the ensemble to play multiple roles, yet this builds and builds to the conclusion that his life was the centre of controlled performance run by the Leading Player.
I think it is fair to say that the most memorable part of the show for me was Erin Brady’s hilarious portrayal of Bertha and the cast’s performance of ‘No Time at All’. Brady embodied a brilliant, free-willed contrast to the rest of Pippin’s family, with an exceptional comedic presence. ‘No Time at All’ is my favourite kind of musical song, where all the ensemble come together, singing to the audience with a message. The style of the interim chorus song reminds me of ‘God’s Arms are Always Open’ from Bonnie and Clyde. When I saw that performed in first year, it was brilliant, and the University of Leeds ensemble have not lost their shine since then. I really enjoyed the use of audience interaction during this song, which fitted with the show’s overall breakdown of the fourth wall.
As we are introduced to Catherine, a mix of joy and darkness unfolds simultaneously. Lucy Butterworth as Catherine created clear chemistry with Aaron Collin’s portrayal of Pippin, which centralised Pippin’s purpose for love. However, this was intermittently interrupted by the Leading Player, who we see disdainfully speaking to Catherine when she does not do as she is scripted by the players. Gray switched from a role of innocent leader to angry controller. We then discover, with clues all along, that Pippin’s life and choices were being controlled the whole time. Pippin and Catherine, with their love burning stronger than the powers of the players, break free from this storyline and live freely. Catherine’s bright yellow outfit seemed to fit perfectly with her ability to stand out of the prescribed story. In a way, she was the sun, the ’Corner of the Sky’ that Pippin yearned for. Their light was too bright to be controlled by the players.
The cyclical ending is then commendably staged, with Catherine’s son Theo taking on the role of the new puppet to the players. The whole stage went dark, contrasting the brightness of Talullah Cartwright’s smile as she embodies Theo’s naive excitement. As the audience, we know that he is entering the control of the players, and it feels hopeless without an end, as the players will always pick a new main character for their story. After this, the whole performance makes sense. The players are there for all the main phases of Pippin’s self-discovery journey: the war, the embrace of sexuality, his time as ruler, and finally his relationship with Catherine.
Overall, this performance of Schwartz’s Pippin was commendable in all aspects: the stage design, costumes, music and performance. This was a star of a first-directed show by Mille Falconer and will always be the one I remember when I look back on my time at Leeds, due to its creativity and noticeable dedication.
Editor: Grace Lees