362 posts
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Post by JJShaw on Feb 28, 2018 15:30:24 GMT
Granny/Step-Mom was handicapped with playing roles far above her age and also poor direction, which is what I think made this show suffer the most. Coupled with some very stiff and stilted choreography (the Glory and Right Track "dance breaks" were very underwhelming), it made for a very disjointed show that wasn't consistent in its good moments. I agree with this assessment, especially around direction issues. The girl playing granny/step-mum was clearly talented but has been allowed to develop characterisations that have no grounding in any truth whatsoever. Instead she relies on the ‘funny voice/facial contortion’ school of coarse acting. It of course doesn’t help that she is playing significantly older characters. She is clearly capable but, like most of the cast, a newby who might need a bit more of a firm hand from a director to help her move towards a more rounded / nuanced performance. I’ll bet you they were all rolling around in the rehearsal room when watching their mate perform, just a shame the director didn’t seem disciplined (or maybe experienced) enough to spot that this does not necessarily mean it works for a paying audience. Big credit to the actress though, as she committed to her choice fully and is clearly destined to be an interesting talent if given the opportunity to learn and develop. Ah this is a far more eloquent and expansive way of putting my thoughts into words! absolutely no discredit to the actress! |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 16:05:41 GMT
So to all those that followed the plot, what was Theo meant to be doing on the stage at the very end? What was the point of the little bit of business?? From the show's Wikipedia page: {Spoiler - click to view}
Some newer productions of Pippin, including the 2013 Broadway revival, have featured an extension to the original ending. The "Theo ending" was originally conceived in 1998 by Mitch Sebastian. After the troupe shuns Pippin for not performing the grand finale, and he avers his contentment with a simple life with Catherine, Theo remains alone onstage, and sings a verse of "Corner of the Sky," after which the Leading Player and the troupe return, backed by the "Magic to Do" melody, implying that the existential crisis at the heart of the play is part of a cycle and will now continue, but with Theo as the troupe's replacement for Pippin. Really? I didnt get that from it at all. |
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Post by jamb0r on Feb 28, 2018 16:35:40 GMT
From the show's Wikipedia page: {Spoiler - click to view}
Some newer productions of Pippin, including the 2013 Broadway revival, have featured an extension to the original ending. The "Theo ending" was originally conceived in 1998 by Mitch Sebastian. After the troupe shuns Pippin for not performing the grand finale, and he avers his contentment with a simple life with Catherine, Theo remains alone onstage, and sings a verse of "Corner of the Sky," after which the Leading Player and the troupe return, backed by the "Magic to Do" melody, implying that the existential crisis at the heart of the play is part of a cycle and will now continue, but with Theo as the troupe's replacement for Pippin. Really? I didnt get that from it at all. There was 1 line that kind of made it all make sense to me where the Leading Player says {Spoiler - click to view}
"We're in your brain" made it feel like all the players represent those feelings you have in your head telling you you need to lead an extraordinary life, constantly nagging at you and pushing you to do things you don't necessarily want to do, just because you feel like you should. Pippin then comes to the realisation at the end that he is much happier with his more boring life with Catherine. The final scene with Theo (who is a kid) starts the whole process over again, with the players surrounding him and representing those feelings you get for wanting to lead an extraordinary life and have purpose. |
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Post by alece10 on Feb 28, 2018 16:39:28 GMT
I think the explication of the ending came over better in the Menier production and kind of made more sense.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 20:46:09 GMT
Not seen this production, but saw the exquisite Broadway revival a few years ago - watching the 67 year old Andrea Martin hanging from the trapeze while belting out her song was an utter highlight. It looks like chainmail shirt and the female leading player have been copied over to this production too. I'll wait for the reviews, but I'm put off by the very young cast.
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Post by Steve on Feb 28, 2018 23:48:40 GMT
Exhilaratingly entertaining, funny first half, but second half flags because it fails to satisfyingly reconcile key story threads. Spoilers follow. . . In the A storyline, a character experiments with fancy lifestyles, but decides that an ordinary life makes him happy. In the B storyline, the Players playfully mock the main storyline, and focus only on the fabulousness and "magic" of life at every step. It is the B storyline that entertains, amuses, thrills and has all the best songs: eg "Magic to do," "No Time at All," "Corner of the Sky," "Simple Joys." In these songs, the Players' mockery and comedy strongly support the theme that fun fun fun is paramount at all times in life. The A storyline is right to suggest that"an ordinary life" is a wonderfully valid life choice, a tried and true life choice, but it is totally wrong in it's binary implication that such a life is NOT MAGICAL. When you watch this show, you emotionally need the two storylines to reconcile in the proposition that an ordinary life is actually pretty fabulous and magical, and instead, what we get is the depressing prospect of magic moving on from our hero to another character. It's totally dispiriting, and a false choice. Every day in every way, an ordinary life can be filled with jokes, hilarity, insincerity, and all sorts of camp that get us through the tough times: the exact kind of "magic" and fun and insincerity that the Players infuse in every scene in the first half. Such magic should stick around, not move on. So that said, I most enjoyed the youthful insincere campness of the Players, with Genevieve Nicole and Mairi Barclay being the stand out stars of this show for me, infusing every moment with powerfully acted, and heartily sung camp humour and pure joy. I could watch them in the first half ten times and enjoy myself every time. I never want to see the miserable, unnecessary and downright wrong conclusion of this show ever again. 4 stars nonetheless, cos I had a ball in the first half. It was magic.  |
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Post by alece10 on Mar 1, 2018 8:12:00 GMT
Also why was Pippin's costume from Topman but everyone else's wasn't?? This bugged me too - I hated his costume. In the trailer that's been released on Facebook today it looks like he's wearing a top made out of chain mail - maybe it was too noisy and they had to swap it for something that looked a bit similar? Just saw some publicity shots in one of the reviews and it's definately a chain mail type of top he is wearing not the one I saw on Saturday |
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Post by nick on Mar 1, 2018 8:41:56 GMT
Pippin had a dull costume in the Menier version as well. I'd always assumed that the rest of the cast are players but he's been imported from somewhere else to 'play' Pippin. The next in a long line of people to play the role.
Also Pippin stops being king because the leading player turns back time and stops him killing his father. A very clumsy idea. Some people must have got it as it got a laugh.
It is a weird show but I love the songs. And this cast gave it great energy even if it is rather unpolished. I saw the Menier version 4 times. But I'll only see this once although I'm glad for the once.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 1, 2018 12:40:05 GMT
Five stars from WoS, Review Hub, London Theatre and British Theatre dot coms
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19,660 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 1, 2018 12:55:16 GMT
The story of Pippin’s vest Broadway Original  Broadway Revival 1  Broadway Revival 2  Menier  Hope Mill  Southwark  |
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2,480 posts
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Post by zahidf on Mar 1, 2018 12:58:33 GMT
I wonder why this is getting so many 5 stars compared to the Menier one, which seems to get between 2/3 stars. Is it THAT much better?
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Post by alece10 on Mar 1, 2018 13:12:27 GMT
I wonder why this is getting so many 5 stars compared to the Menier one, which seems to get between 2/3 stars. Is it THAT much better? I think it was more the staging. It was one of those "marmite" shows. It was set within a video game with lots of graphics and projections and VERY loud which some didn't like. |
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Post by zahidf on Mar 1, 2018 13:16:09 GMT
Is this sticking to the 2 hours 15 min run time? I have a train to catch on the Sat after the matinee, so hoping it finishes close to the 5.15 they say it does!
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Post by theatre on Mar 2, 2018 12:03:57 GMT
So I’ve just watched the new trailer for this and it’s actually put me off a bit. The vocals throughout seem off and pitchy, with Pippin often being just above the note in Corner of the Sky for a second or two before he allows his vibrato to fix it. I’m always quite fussy about vocal ability in London shows, and from the trailer I don’t think I’d be pleased, but perhaps it’s one of those things that didn’t come across on video properly - does anyone that’s seen the show have any thoughts on the vocals, how were they?
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Post by alece10 on Mar 2, 2018 12:17:45 GMT
They all sounded good and in tune to me but I'm no expert and don't even know what a vibrato is. I thought it was a sex toy.
As long as they can belt out a tune I'm happy.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2018 13:13:09 GMT
They all sounded good and in tune to me but I'm no expert and don't even know what a vibrato is. I thought it was a sex toy. As long as they can belt out a tune I'm happy. So if it is, I’m left wondering exactly how he uses it to fix the fact that his voice is just above the note...  Surely it’s not that obvious. Is it? |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 2, 2018 15:24:48 GMT
As a child my response to vibrato was to think "pick a note and stick with it, dammit",
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Post by nick on Mar 2, 2018 18:52:56 GMT
I wonder why this is getting so many 5 stars compared to the Menier one, which seems to get between 2/3 stars. Is it THAT much better? I think it was more the staging. It was one of those "marmite" shows. It was set within a video game with lots of graphics and projections and VERY loud which some didn't like. It had technical issues with the projectors that made the theatre very hot and were quite loud hence the loud music, They sorted the heat out before the end but it was too late. |
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Post by alece10 on Mar 2, 2018 19:50:13 GMT
I think it was more the staging. It was one of those "marmite" shows. It was set within a video game with lots of graphics and projections and VERY loud which some didn't like. It had technical issues with the projectors that made the theatre very hot and were quite loud hence the loud music, They sorted the heat out before the end but it was too late. And that was in the days before the Menier had air con. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 2, 2018 19:55:19 GMT
I thought he sounded a bit off on the trailer too but his singing at the Hope Mill was good. He’s youthful and engaging but maybe not that charismatic.
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Post by Peroni on Mar 2, 2018 21:03:34 GMT
Both the show and this production have room for improvement, but it still is so powerful and entertaining! These songs are so so catchy and fun, and I can relate so much with Pippin's struggle... We had (on Tuesday) a technical problem on the climax of act 1: nothing I had noticed before but still the show paused for 5 minutes and the scene started all over again. Also, some details showed the low budget of the production - especially the IKEA blanket used on act 2, the fact that one of the ensemble`s shoes was duct taped (yes, I was on the first row), and too few costume changes. The lack of lighting also hid facial expressions in the finale... And I could feel the stage was too tiny for all those movements and topics and emotions (glory, epic finale, the meaning of life etc.) - maybe if they had came up with a creative solution to that... Otherwise, the ensemble was good and I agree with - He’s youthful and engaging but maybe not that charismatic. |
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Post by AddisonMizner on Mar 3, 2018 20:03:28 GMT
Well, I really enjoyed PIPPIN this afternoon. A terrific production, delivered with energy and panache from a young cast.
The opening number MAGIC TO DO was thrilling - brilliantly effective staging, combined with that great song. The rest of the show didn’t quite reach those dizzying heights for me, but I still thought that the staging was excellent. I didn’t feel that it looked like it was on a budget at all, and often find that creatives are forced to be more inventive with their stagings if on a budget, and this often puts the big, flashy West End to shame. There were some really beautiful staging moments in this.
I can understand why people have issues with the book, though it wasn’t an issue for me. The story was easy to follow, and the fact that characters would have one scene and then disappear wasn’t a problem as this was part of the vaudeville/revue style of the production. It also presents some very interesting themes to think about, which make PIPPIN touching, and ultimately worth seeing - musings on mental illness/depression, fame, success, love, fulfilment and finding meaning in life.
However, I think the reason most people go to see PIPPIN is because of its score. I fell in love with WICKED when I first heard it, and whilst that score has ultimately lost its sheen for me over the years, I still appreciate it. PIPPIN is a superior score no question, with one stonking song after another. The singing was a little inconsistent in this production, but overall it was great to hear this score live for the first time. There were moments of bliss with the likes of “Morning Glow”, and other spine tingling moments from “Corner of the Sky” etc. I think it helped that the volume was turned up to the max, though this made the performers difficult to understand on occassion. The place practically shook at the end of the first act.
Well worth a look. Overall, a really impressive staging.
4 stars.
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Post by robertb213 on Mar 3, 2018 22:50:00 GMT
I enjoyed it this afternoon too. I agree with others who have said Pippin himself was a bit bland and didn't quite belt as strongly as I would've liked (however the Leading Player was amazing and slayed it). The staging was fine and overall the cast were strong. It doesn't top Wicked's score for me but some great songs nonetheless 😁
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Post by couldileaveyou on Mar 4, 2018 0:02:38 GMT
I saw today's matinee as well and here there are some thoughts.
The good: it's a great score sung by beautiful voices; Genevieve Nicole and Jonathan Carlton are fine leads; Rhidian Marc is an excellent Charles; Bradley Judge is always shirtless.
The not so good: the staging borrows more than something from the Broadway revival, and has its highs (most of act 2) and its lows (most of act 1); the choreographies were a repetitive and amateurish bore; having an actress in her 20s singing the gorgeous No Time At All stripped it of all meaning, I just kept thinking about Elaine Stritch's iconic introduction to I'm Still Here. Besides, the actress' parody of an older lady was borderline ageist.
It would be a 5 star drama school production, but since it's professional it's 3½ for me
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Post by Deleted on Mar 4, 2018 10:33:10 GMT
Bradley Judge is always shirtless. Boom. Booked! |
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Surely it’s not that obvious. Is it? 
