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shadowkatSaw the Revival of Pippin last night at Music Box Theater, located between Broadway and 8th Avenue, on 45 street in Manhattan (aka to tourists NYC).
In a word? Amazing.
I don't how the choreographer did it - but somehow she managed to meld the best of Bob Fosse's grinding dance routines with cirque du soliel's acrobatics, and magic tricks. The show was a magical fest for the eyes and mind. Taking place beneath a circus tent, and heavy on metaphorical imagery and ironical lyrical twists.
It's most likely not for the metaphor blind. Although, if you are metaphor blind, you most likely will enjoy the acrobatics and the magic tricks, not to mention the comedic bits - such as the actors playing chickens in the second act, who were a hoot.
And Petina Miller is a sight to behold as the "leading player" originally portrayed by Ben Vereen in the 1970s production. The only change from the original cast - was Annie Potts as Berthe (Granny) as opposed to Andrea Martin, which worked beautifully. She does a trapeze number while singing "Time to Start Living", an audience sing-a-long number. Pippin unlike other musicals, breaks the fourth wall, the audience is to a degree an active participant. The players talk directly to the audience. And at the end of Pippin, inform the audience, that they continue to exist inside every members heads - so if you feel the need to be "extraordinary" and "have that final blaze glory", they will appear.
Best theater performance that I've seen in years - it blew me away. My jaw hung open in childish delight through 98% of it. Can't say the same about the tape of the previous production with Ben Vereen - which I found sluggish in places, and my attention often wandered. Here - while it is still a long show, my attention was always captivated by what was happening on stage and at various points they had things happen in the aisles, so it was beneficial to be in the orchestra seats. Although the things that happened in the aisles were not crucial to following the story.
The Music Box Theater by Broadway standards is not bad, you can the stage fairly well, but the seats...are cramped close together and clearly created for small people. I had an aisle seat - so was able to stick my long legs in the aisle through most of the show, the guy next to me wasn't as fortunate. Concession prices were worse than airport prices - $5.00 for a small water bottle (no you can't bring your own).
What's Pippin about? It's a sort of allegorical piece.
A bunch of players come out and introduce the son of King Charlemagne, Pippin. Who is unsatisfied with his lot in life. He's just graduated with honors, but can't find a purpose or meaning. He wants to find his nitch, his corner of the sky. So first he attempts the military and goes to WAR (this doesn't go as well as planned, and he becomes disillusioned), then he attempts the creative arts, but it doesn't really lead anywhere. He visits his free-living Granny, who introduces him to the simple things in life, and he discovers sex (not with Granny). Dissatisfied, he gets involved in politics and leads a revolt against his father, which results in him briefly becoming King (he assassinates his father). Discovering how impossible it is to be a King and want to please everybody or be loved by everybody. Disillusioned - he brings his father back into power (here, literally back from the dead) and takes off to the country, where he gets involved with a widow and her son, and aids in managing her large estate. An ordinary life. Except he's unsatisfied. Shouldn't he be "important"? Do something "important"? The leading player and her group of players take Pippin through each of these steps. Finally, the leading player offers the blaze of glory - the fin complete, the top act to Pippin. Go out in a blaze of glory. Jump from a tower into a pit of fire, and become the fire - your memory will be imprinted on the memories of all who witnessed such a feat. And Pippin hesitates...wait, he says, I'm not extraordinary, I'm me. I'm not a river. Or an eagle. I'm a man. I don't need to do this. This is silly. I'm going back to the widow and her son. Furious, the Leading Player, removes all of Pippin's trappings and those of his family - their customs are removed, their wigs, their makeup, the circus tent, the players, the orchestra. (To much comic effect). But Pippin remains. The Leading Player turns to the audience and asks if anyone out there sees themselves as extraordinary, is less than satisfied, and wants to change places with Pippin. Then the players leave. Pippin and the Widow and her son, Theo remain alone on the stripped bare stage. Sing a love song. Then leave. And as they leave...Theo remains and sings Pippin's opening song about wanting something more, something extraordinary...and as he does so...the players reappear dancing slowly onto the stage. And the Leading player tells the audience, that any time we want more, want to be extraordinary, that the players are there waiting...they are always there. We're inside your heads, she tells us, each and every one of you...living your ordinary lives.
The book and lyrics were at first considered trite by theater critics, but Fosse's staging changed all that, as does this directors staging and arrangement. In theater - it's how the show is performed that often counts not the words on the page. Although...I have to admit I love some of the songs from Pippin. And the dance numbers, along with the circus acts and magic tricks - are quite good and do an excellent job of bringing out several of the themes. This production in some respects is more subtle than Fosse's, and more comical. It's lighter.
And a whole lot more fun.
Oh, if you ever need to find a bathroom between 44th Street and 45th Streets on 8th Avenue?
Go to the Intercontinental Hotel, elevators, B level, hang a right, to the back. Best bathrooms in Times Square. Clean. Have hand lotion. And individual booths with actual doors.
Also free. Just make sure you look decent. Actually that's the trick to bathroom hunting in big cities: find a Hotel. If you can't find one? Try a Barnes and Nobles. If you can't find that? A pub or walk-in bar. Also churches and museums. It's actually easier to find a decent bathroom in NYC than it is elsewhere, weird, but true.
In a word? Amazing.
I don't how the choreographer did it - but somehow she managed to meld the best of Bob Fosse's grinding dance routines with cirque du soliel's acrobatics, and magic tricks. The show was a magical fest for the eyes and mind. Taking place beneath a circus tent, and heavy on metaphorical imagery and ironical lyrical twists.
It's most likely not for the metaphor blind. Although, if you are metaphor blind, you most likely will enjoy the acrobatics and the magic tricks, not to mention the comedic bits - such as the actors playing chickens in the second act, who were a hoot.
And Petina Miller is a sight to behold as the "leading player" originally portrayed by Ben Vereen in the 1970s production. The only change from the original cast - was Annie Potts as Berthe (Granny) as opposed to Andrea Martin, which worked beautifully. She does a trapeze number while singing "Time to Start Living", an audience sing-a-long number. Pippin unlike other musicals, breaks the fourth wall, the audience is to a degree an active participant. The players talk directly to the audience. And at the end of Pippin, inform the audience, that they continue to exist inside every members heads - so if you feel the need to be "extraordinary" and "have that final blaze glory", they will appear.
Best theater performance that I've seen in years - it blew me away. My jaw hung open in childish delight through 98% of it. Can't say the same about the tape of the previous production with Ben Vereen - which I found sluggish in places, and my attention often wandered. Here - while it is still a long show, my attention was always captivated by what was happening on stage and at various points they had things happen in the aisles, so it was beneficial to be in the orchestra seats. Although the things that happened in the aisles were not crucial to following the story.
The Music Box Theater by Broadway standards is not bad, you can the stage fairly well, but the seats...are cramped close together and clearly created for small people. I had an aisle seat - so was able to stick my long legs in the aisle through most of the show, the guy next to me wasn't as fortunate. Concession prices were worse than airport prices - $5.00 for a small water bottle (no you can't bring your own).
What's Pippin about? It's a sort of allegorical piece.
A bunch of players come out and introduce the son of King Charlemagne, Pippin. Who is unsatisfied with his lot in life. He's just graduated with honors, but can't find a purpose or meaning. He wants to find his nitch, his corner of the sky. So first he attempts the military and goes to WAR (this doesn't go as well as planned, and he becomes disillusioned), then he attempts the creative arts, but it doesn't really lead anywhere. He visits his free-living Granny, who introduces him to the simple things in life, and he discovers sex (not with Granny). Dissatisfied, he gets involved in politics and leads a revolt against his father, which results in him briefly becoming King (he assassinates his father). Discovering how impossible it is to be a King and want to please everybody or be loved by everybody. Disillusioned - he brings his father back into power (here, literally back from the dead) and takes off to the country, where he gets involved with a widow and her son, and aids in managing her large estate. An ordinary life. Except he's unsatisfied. Shouldn't he be "important"? Do something "important"? The leading player and her group of players take Pippin through each of these steps. Finally, the leading player offers the blaze of glory - the fin complete, the top act to Pippin. Go out in a blaze of glory. Jump from a tower into a pit of fire, and become the fire - your memory will be imprinted on the memories of all who witnessed such a feat. And Pippin hesitates...wait, he says, I'm not extraordinary, I'm me. I'm not a river. Or an eagle. I'm a man. I don't need to do this. This is silly. I'm going back to the widow and her son. Furious, the Leading Player, removes all of Pippin's trappings and those of his family - their customs are removed, their wigs, their makeup, the circus tent, the players, the orchestra. (To much comic effect). But Pippin remains. The Leading Player turns to the audience and asks if anyone out there sees themselves as extraordinary, is less than satisfied, and wants to change places with Pippin. Then the players leave. Pippin and the Widow and her son, Theo remain alone on the stripped bare stage. Sing a love song. Then leave. And as they leave...Theo remains and sings Pippin's opening song about wanting something more, something extraordinary...and as he does so...the players reappear dancing slowly onto the stage. And the Leading player tells the audience, that any time we want more, want to be extraordinary, that the players are there waiting...they are always there. We're inside your heads, she tells us, each and every one of you...living your ordinary lives.
The book and lyrics were at first considered trite by theater critics, but Fosse's staging changed all that, as does this directors staging and arrangement. In theater - it's how the show is performed that often counts not the words on the page. Although...I have to admit I love some of the songs from Pippin. And the dance numbers, along with the circus acts and magic tricks - are quite good and do an excellent job of bringing out several of the themes. This production in some respects is more subtle than Fosse's, and more comical. It's lighter.
And a whole lot more fun.
Oh, if you ever need to find a bathroom between 44th Street and 45th Streets on 8th Avenue?
Go to the Intercontinental Hotel, elevators, B level, hang a right, to the back. Best bathrooms in Times Square. Clean. Have hand lotion. And individual booths with actual doors.
Also free. Just make sure you look decent. Actually that's the trick to bathroom hunting in big cities: find a Hotel. If you can't find one? Try a Barnes and Nobles. If you can't find that? A pub or walk-in bar. Also churches and museums. It's actually easier to find a decent bathroom in NYC than it is elsewhere, weird, but true.
