Produced by Pump House CYT

Review by Annie Aslett

Gather around and allow the cast of Pump House CYT’s production of Pippin to transport you into their magical, mysterious world. Expertly shepherded by Gracie Artwood-Pugh as ‘Leading Player’, this cast of young actors is a joy to watch. They are entirely committed to their roles from the off – the members of the circus troupe enter the audience before the show begins and interact with the punters. 

The premise of this musical finds our audience watching the cast play a circus troupe who are putting on their new production, ‘Pippin’, replete with regular fourth-wall breaks that remind us that we are watching a play within a play. Some of the vocal performances leave something to be desired, but the sheer charisma of the players more than makes up for it. The production also does a solid job of making their relatively cramped digs feel more expansive with some engaging staging.

The role of Pippin himself goes to Lewis Jackson, who plays the story’s protagonist with wide-eyed ambition and moments of dry wit that prompt giggles from the audience. He is accompanied on stage by a committed ensemble cast, at their best when background acting and making tongue-in-cheek asides about other actors to the audience. This sarcastic commentary is mastered by Artwood-Pugh, whose conspiratorial sarcasm leaves the audience in fits and is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the show.

This, combined with powerhouse vocals, makes Artwood-Pugh one to watch. Other stand-out performances come from the actors playing Charlemagne and Fastrada, both of whom showcase the confidence and comedy chops of much more experienced actors. Sadly, this was the cast’s last performance of this fabulous show at the Fringe, but keep your eyes peeled for the next Pump House CYT show and the future forays onto the stage by these promising young stars.