Theater: Musical 'Pippin' at Imperial: Hirson-Schwartz Show Is ... By CLIVE BARNES New York Times (1923-Current file); Oct 24, 1972; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The New York Times (1851-2009) pg. 37 Theater: Musical~Pippin' at I1TIperi~l
I-lirson-Schwartz Show The Cast Ben Vereen Stands Out Is Directed by Fosse PIPP1N, • muslQI comCldy by ROOM O. as the Narrator: Hlrson. Music and IYries by SI&phen f~~~:rW~:m~ra biIP~~~a, ~~~~t1~Dro~; , By CLIVE BARNES Jules Flsheri musical dlredlon by Stanlev LabowskY; orchestrations, Ral ph Burns: dance IIrrllnSt:ments by John til almost the last (for noth~ B~rkman i sound bv Abe ,Jacobi' hair An amiable and racy slyles by Ernest Adler i directed And ing' can totaJly redeem the choreographed by Bob Fosse; Ilroduc book's lame duck ending) Mr. ' musical, "Pippin," which ar .. lion stage 'manager, Phil Friedman. rived at the Imperial Theater Presenll!d by Stuart O!>lro, At the F9sse never loses his silk and. Imperial Theater, 249 West dS+h street last night, has three great Leadl n9 Plaver...... ,. Ben Vereen velvet grasp on' the show. He things. to commend it. It 'is b~:rl~s .': .: : ' , :: :: :.... John E~~~II~~~~: works ',desperately-and sue .. fme of the best musical slag Lewis ' ".ChristnDher Chadmah ings lobe seen on Broadway Faslrada ' Leland Palmer 'cesSfully-hard to give the Musician John Mlnoo of a in years, it is most beautiful The Head Roger Hamilton tired, old idea group of ly designed and it might well Berthe ' Irene Ryan clowns some artificial resus Beg~il r ,I< icnard Korlhi!le do for the actor Ben Vereen Petlsant ' , ,Paul Solen citation - he even makes what "Cabaret" did for Joel Nobill , " ' , ' .. , ,Gene Foole sense of the superhuman FI&!ld Marshal, , ... Roger Hamlll!)n Grey. Catherine " ' . ,. Jill ClaVDUrgh commentator and he gives "Pippin" is about Pippin, Theo ' ,.Shane .N Ickerson the ~how the pace of ,a foller or, if we are going to be derby and the finesse of a historically accurate, Pepin. handsome. Yet he feels the conjuror. Yet nothing seems But the musical Is not going "need to be completely ful strained or exaggerated. to be historically accurate, filled." He tries war, sex, Mr. Fosse has achieved and it is none the worse for revolution and domesticity. complete continuity between Ithat. Pippin, or Pepin, was All to no avail. As a grand his staging and his choreog the son of Charlemagne, and finale he is offered the ulti~ raphy. ~nd his dance~ the!'ll this musical' is 'set in the year mate transfiguration of fire, selves' have art and Imagm 780 and concerns the Holy death by 'immolation in a ation. They swing with life. Roman Empire, but not 'too magician's hoop. Not unpre Mind you, Mr. Fosse has two ho1i1y or imperialIy. dictably he retuses this and master collaborators in Tony settles back for domesticity • Walton and Patricia Zipprodt. • wife and family. Mr. Walton's scenery man .. ',The book has been written It is, I felt, a trite and un-. ages an almost impossible :by Roger O. Hirson and the interesting story with aspira .. 'combination of Holy Roman : music and lyrics are by tions to a seriousness it never Empire and Fifth . Avenue Irene Ryan leading a nuznber . Stephen Schwartz, composer for one moment fulfills. It chic. He, has also provided i of lhe international hit "God- is a commonplace set to rock scenery that will slide; fold, spelL" The concept, and it is music, and I must say I make itself scarce when -of a wife and Jill Clayburgh ing presence and voice, his ; a conceptual musical of the found most of the music necessary, and when equally all sweet connivance as the deft dancing and e.asy author· necessary even adaptable. type p~ople ar.e fond of d~b .. somewhat characterless. Per· widow. out, to -get her man. ity, make his performance hing HtnnOvatlve," has PIP" haps it needs to be heard This is exactly suited to Mr. Irene Ryan has one tl'emen pin's career spelled out for more. I enjoyed IIGodspell" Fosse's pell-mell dazzle. Miss dous show-stopper as a geri. 011e of the most impressive , aspects of the evening. 'him by a troupe of CaBot· more with repetition, but at Zipprodt has accomplished her atl'ic swinge !' and John Hu The book is feeble and the '1iI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.