Review: PIPPIN at Teatr Muzyczny Poznan

What emerges is a splendid spectacle, a memorable performance that transcends eras. It's like a symphony of the ages, a kaleidoscope of nostalgia and fantasy, like an unexpected piece of sweet chocolate in a reality pie.

I'm going to start by dancing because I simply cannot wait. The one and only Bob Fosse choreographed the original in the 70s and his spirit is there even as Paulina Adamska-Damiecka added her touch and style to the dance moves. It is truly enchanting to contemplate this burst of colors and this diversity of dancers, movements, and sensations. It's fast, entertaining and fun. The scenography (by Mariusz Napierala) plunges us deep into the plot and each piece plays its role.

The cast is great, Pippin (Wojciech Damian) is like chewing gum, he gets sweeter and sweeter with every bite. He has this joyful and zany energy that combines with undeniable charisma. There is the Leading Player (Dagmara Rybak) who glues the show together with her magnetism and spirit. She can be mean and pushy, but you love her all the time. Charlemagne (Radoslaw Elis) is great with his amazing diction and gets a lot done in a scary/clever creation. Fastrada (Agnieszka Wawrzyniak) is cruel and funny, Berthe (Agnieszka Rozanska) gives a wonderful performance in one of the best songs of the series (No Time at All), Catherine (Oksana Hamerska) can be strong in her vulnerability, Lewis (Bartosz Soltysiak) is hilarious, Theo (Piotr Hamerski) is sweet enough to melt your heart. The other important performers here are the costumes (by Agata Uchman), whose unique and absurdist way in this medieval/grotesque environment takes the show to the next level. They all look like puzzles of the same picture but are so weird and different that you can stare at them for hours, no room for boredom here, that's for sure!

The director, Jerzy Jan Polonski, has created a joyful, funny, and absurd play, and by play, I don't just mean a performance. This show is a joyful game with symbols, music, and characters to ask very important questions. It’s about ourselves, finding purpose, taking responsibility for our lives. Watching the floating scenes, I felt like they were all written in a flipbook and coming to life one by one. You launch into this story with an unusual style, as if there were no reality. You breathe with the artists with joy, sadness, and doubt. It is an open invitation to a world without limits where everyone can be someone. There is another question: what does it mean to be someone, to be special, however, we say it, and can we rise to the challenge? There is no answer to this but after this show, you will have this sparkle of joy.

The whole show feels like The Wizard of Oz, Freak Show, Pierrot the Clown, and Monthy Python rolled into one. A big bravo goes to Teatr Muzyczny for having the courage to take a chance on this little-known title. It's definitely worth expanding the horizons and looking for something more like Pippin did. The public loves it, and so do I!

Photo: M. Kordula

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