Pippin

It was a thrill to finally return to a crowded, albeit masked theatre, to see a big musical. The opening night audience was excited to be there and gave a well-deserved ovation to the spectacular song “Magic to Do” - which combined a lovely tune, colourful costumes and circus tricks.

Pippin – first staged on Broadway in 1972 – is not a tier one commercial musical with general public name recognition that we are used to seeing in this venue, but is more in the field of classics which music theatre aficionados relish.

Producer John Frost had the set tucked away in storage and this production was dusted off to test the waters on health guidelines and the community’s appetite to step back into a big theatre with blockbusters (Frozen and Hamilton) around the corner.

The casting initially attracted some controversy. Gabrielle McClinton was imported from the United States for the part as the Leading Player (who breaks the third wall to anchor this play within a play).  Why bring in someone from overseas during a pandemic was the social media outcry. 

Well the answer is, because she is so good in the role. Gabrielle had the commanding stage presence to anchor this production brilliantly.

The other controversial casting was Kerri-Anne Kennerley, in the cameo as the grandmother Berthe. The television personality’s politics upset some, and lack of music theatre experience upset others.

I have to say she produced one of the most surprising moments of music theatre I have seen. Her singing was OK, but goodness up on that swing she provided the audience with bucket loads of entertainment. Picture this - 67-year-old up on the swing upside down – held by her ankles by a muscle bound gymnast. The dance captains underneath poised like wild cheetahs, waiting to pounce, not on a deer – but to catch her if she fell off.

Goodness, Frosty never made Alan Jones swing upside down – though people might have paid big dollars to see that.  This was a moment where Kerri-Anne was sticking the middle finger at those internet trolls.

But lest you be misled into thinking this is the Kerri-Anne Kennerley show, her role is a brief cameo. This is the Ainsley Melham (Pippin) show. He is Australia’s leading man of the moment – combining boy next good looks, dazzling dancing, nice singing and bucket loads of charisma. No wonder Disney put him up on a Times Square billboard for Aladdin.

The other stand out was Leslie Bell, absolutely hitting her high kicking mainstage comeback for six as Fastrada, the Queen consort.

The production too is a knock-out – first staged at the American Repertory Theatre in 2012, then transferring to Broadway where it won the Best Revival of a Musical Tony.  

Setting the musical in a circus - with magic tricks, acrobatics, svelte bodies and brooding lighting well suits the illusion of the original book.

So, should music theatre aficionados go? The answer is a resounding yes.

David Spicer

Photographer: Brian Geach.