Pippin

Small may well be the way of the future for reviving some relatively big Broadway shows. It won’t work for every musical; a few years back a greater wit than I rechristened a pared back version of Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd as Teeny Todd, but with a simple storytelling tuner like Pippin, it’s a very viable choice.

This debut production by Crinklecut Productions takes a Broadway musical back to Off-Broadway scale to relatively pleasing effect.

The staging and props are Spartan in this fringe venue, the orchestra is reduced to a particularly capable combo of six, and there are only two chorus members, per se, with the principals acting as ensemble.

Benjamin Hoetjes drives the production in a strongly nuanced performance as the Leading Player. Gaynor Tension’s outrageous drag cameo as grandmother Bertha is a showstopper. Erin Bruce vamps the role of Fastrada delightfully, Aimee Timmins’ Catherine is engaging, and along with top-notch dancer Kat Hoyos, they are at the heart of Simone Salle’s choreography, a highlight. Zach Smith’s take on the young boy Theo is charming, and Phil McIntosh is an appropriately vacuous Louis.

David Attrill acts the role of Charlemagne fairly effectively, but his singing is annoyingly off-pitch.

Mitchell Lagos, as Pippin, has the right looks, but is not always sufficiently charismatic, nor does he soar on the vocals.

Sound operation was a real issue early on opening night, though as the night proceeded, the balance and levels improved steadily, suggesting this will not be an ongoing problem.

The costuming was generally attractive, though bulky microphone packs are not a good look in leotards and the like at close range, plain ugly in fact, and much greater collaboration should have gone into incorporating the technical elements into costume design.

Some storytelling choices, for example an illusionist’s trick at the core of the battle scene, tended to be underdone, and didn’t totally work for me. Musically, MD Andy Peterson has done a terrific job.

With a running time of two hours, I would have appreciated an interval, and recommend taking a cushion.

Reservations aside, this is a pleasing start from an adventurous, enthusiastic young company, which can become a valuable addition to Sydney’s growing musical theatre fringe.

Neil Litchfield

Photographer: Daniel Wittingslow

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