Pippin - Hope Mill Manchester / Southwark Playhouse

Back from this evenings performance. The show was enjoyable, but not 5*s. It was tip-toing a bit too close to the edge of panto for my liking at times. Theres a fine line between vaudeville (which the troupe seemed to be emanating) and pantomime; with the audience participation and overt emphasis on provoking a laugh it wasn't particularly to my taste.

There were a few other questionable direction choices made, such as having 3 cast complete a dance routine directly in front of a projected movie almost completely masking the projection, defeating the point of including the video. I wasn't a fan of the use of accents, particularly between Charles (Welsh) Catherine (Glasgow?) and their son Lewis (Stiff-upper-lipped Southern). The execution of the accents were good, but why would each member of a family have a completely contrasting accent? Maybe there was a point and it went over my head. As a company the cast were great, strong singers and actors and JC as Pippin was adorable.

The lighting really was brilliant, perfect colour palette, apart from a few moments where principals lost their spot during moments moving from one lit area to the next, I was surprised by how much lighting production had been supplied for the show. Perhaps they could reduce the lighting budget marginally and supplement the audio as the speakers were pushed to their limit on occasion struggling with the more dynamic parts of the show.

I recognise that this is early on in its run yet, and I hadn't seen Hope Mills' Yank or Hair to compare, but I don't think this is transfer material.

I experienced a few issues early on with the venue which tainted my evening, and as a result hampered my enjoyment of the show. I was really quite annoyed, after noting online, in printed materials and been told on collection of tickets it was "unallocated seating" to then walk into the auditorium to find 30+ seats with reserved signs on. I think its quite unfair to promote it as unallocated and then allocate more than two rows to one specific group. As other people began to realise this there was some pushing past and general rudeness as people wanted to get what was left of the "better" seats.

Also, shout out to the rather awkward ending. Blackout on an overblown high note from a trumpet (noticeably sharp) and awkward silence for a solid 3 seconds before the director (or whoever it was sat on the back row of the tier taking notes throughout) initiated the applause.

 Cringe. I hate that. Thanks for the heads up, I'll take it upon myself when I go now I know. 

I'm going with friends week after next, but I *might* nip in on my own before then at some point.

Well, I loved it.

I absolutely LOVED the design and staging. The flexible space at the Hope Mill was never used to better effect. It's more of a catwalk than a stage, and they use every centimetre of it to full effect.

The cast are young, fresh and gorgeous. I'm not going to single anyone out because I can't really (although the girl playing Fastrada and Bertha went down a bomb with the audience).

I loved the nods to previous productions (jazz hands and curtains!). I think I actually enjoyed this more than Hair. Totally deserves a transfer and good luck to it.

I went to uni with Brad (also made out with him once in our younger years) I'm definitely screenhotting your comments and sending them to him, he'll absolutely piss himself 😂

#gratuitous 

The Vaults or Charing Cross, I wonder?

Booked!

Now where the heck is Manchester? Is that in the north? Do I need my passport? Jabs?

Just a couple of little pricks, Ryan. You won’t feel a thing, I’m sure. But it’ll be worth it...

The design in Manchester was a very long and quite narrow thrust, almost like a catwalk, with the audience sat along the sides just like a fashion show. Could the venues suggested handle that?

Katy Lipson and the boys at the Hope Mill are doing really well. Third musical in a row to get a transfer. Can’t believe Parade didn’t make it though. It was stunning.