REVIEW: MacEwan Theatre tackles challenging ’70s musical to great success
The musical Pippin has been a long time coming to Edmonton. The Stephen Schwartz (music and lyrics) and Roger O. Hirson (book) opened on Broadway in a Bob Fosse production in 1972. The original ran for a long time (36th longest on Broadway) and in 2013 was revived in a successful production.
The show is musically complex and has proven a difficult nut to crack for many a company. MacEwan University’s Theatre Arts Program and ace director Marianne Copithorne are to be congratulated for taking on the challenge and in doing so providing a remarkably lively evening of theatre. It runs through November 30 at the Triffo Theatre in Allard Hall.
The musical is part allegory, part morality play – by way of Pilgrim’s Progress – and original director Bob Fosse’s concept demands a non-traditional staging. Over the years and through many rewrites all of its various iterations have depended upon a director’s creative abilities to produce a kind of theatrical prestidigitation. Don’t pay a lot of attention to the show – look at my razzle-dazzle and slight of hand. And si Fosse fashioned an anything-can-happen circus act.
Pippin uses real characters but weaves them into a plot that features fictional creations. The plot is set in the centre ring of a mysterious Cirque du Jour performance troupe – with spacious and highly functional set (and atmospheric projections) from Travis Hatt.
The first thing that the show has going for it is Schwartz’s lively, catchy score (the composer wrote the words and music for Wicked and Godspell.)
The young prince, Pippin (Jacob Sawatzky, for his second year Student Showcase performance), wanders the world searching for meaning and significance. He’s the sensitive son of Charlemagne (Ethan Handford), an innocent in a perverse world – self-centred and not engaged much in the events that carry him along. The characters that swirl around him are a cynical and colourful lot including the Leading Player (Josephine Smith ), who is strong and commanding, and more than a little Mephistophelian as the company’s sexy ringmaster. The Emperor has an evil wife, Fastrada (Jessica Schnell); and blood-thirsty warrior son, Lewis (Brett Williams). Later Pippin meets the widow Catherine (Emma Abbott) and her young son Theo (James Velasco) in a much needed scene of nutty humour – and some heart.
Pippin’s grounded and playful Grandmother Berthe (Shae-Lynn Papiz) urges the young fellow to get about finding a life for himself. No Time at All, she sings in one of the show’s glorious set pieces. She gets all of us to sing along and generally steals the show.
Sawatzky is an ingratiating performer with a melting high tenor voice very reminiscent of John Denver. He is at his best in the show’s big hit, Corner of the Sky. Smith’s ringmaster is a tease with a come-hither smile, erotic moves and an awesome hip swivel. She can also sing and dance. Handford is a regal despot with a booming voice and outsized personality. Schnell brings a wicked eroticism to the Empress. Abbott’s Catherine has a lovely soprano and enough charm to pull our reticent hero away from his chosen path. There are no throwaway solos – all of the featured players get a solid song of their own. The whole troupe is having a great time with the clowns, heroes, peasants and soldiers they are called upon to play.
As you might imagine in a Fosse-imprinted musical, dancing is featured and the Master’s moves (curved shoulders, turned-in knees, undulating bodies, finger snaps and, yes, jazz hands) are scrupulously recreated by choreographer Laura Krewski. Fosse’s steps are difficult, extremely precise and highly idiosyncratic. These supple MacEwan kids are terrific and perform the featured dance numbers with a professional artistry. Copithorne’s inventive staging includes circus acts (courtesy of Firefly Circus Arts), magic and plentiful physical comedy. There’s so much going on that at times you don’t know where to look.
The show ends the only way the tale of a questing pilgrim must – and also with a promise that the show must go on.
This MacEwan University Theatre production is big top, flat-out fun and filled with good songs and high spirits.
