Pippin ain't, apparently, what it used to be. A near-warhorse with amateur theatricals has been revived in the proper sense of the word, given new life, and the Tony-award winning Best Revival of a Musical version settles in briefly at the Peabody Opera House.
Feeling like a dazzling version of Cirque de Soleil mated with bits of the bawdiness of Cabaret, the show's title character is the eldest son of the emperor Charlemagne. Pippin is played by Kyle Dean Massey and Charlemagne by John Rubenstein, who was Pippin in the original production. (And who knows about being the son of a famous father, his own being Artur Rubenstein, the pianist.) They both charm. Beyond that, there's practically no historical accuracy, but not to fret; there's a lot more to occupy the mind and the eye. Watch Lucie Arnaz, for instance, as Pippin's grandmother as she works from a trapeze. Trivia note: Irene Ryan of the Beverly Hillbillies, originated the role. (This version is set in a circus tent, so Ryan didn't have to cope with a trapeze, though.) Arnaz is a stunner of a granny, singing and dancing and dangling.
Also of note are the Leading Player, on opening capably handled by Lisa Karlin, one of the understudies, who guides us through things, and Sabrina Harper as Fastrada, Charlemagne's wife and Pippin's stepmother. Harper slinks and glistens her way through things with remarkable ease.
Because of the circus setting, there's a fair amount of circus tricks, balancing, juggling, and such adding to the fun. And it's not just the ensemble that does this; almost everyone has a moment of creating disbelief with their prowess. It's a beautiful set by Scott Pask, Dominique Lemieux' costumes are stunning, as are the illusions created by Paul Kieve. It's all enough to make you forgive the unmemorable score. While no one ever walked out of a theater humming the scenery, as the old line goes, everything else here is enough to make one forgive the Stephen Schwartz score.
Don't dawdle. This only runs through Sunday.
Pippin
through December 14
Peabody Opera House