Stephen Schwartz's 1972 musical "Pippin" is loosely based off of the life of Pepin the Hunchback, son of King Charlemagne (c. 712-814). A circus troupe of players, led by the Leading Player, tells the story of the young man, Pippin, and his search for existential fulfillment. The Leading Player disregards the fourth wall and speaks directly to the audience as they are invited to join in the magic about to happen.
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The story of "Pippin" is unusual because it is a frame story with enough ambiguity that the audience is not aware of what is real and what is not. The mysterious Leading Player introduces the audience to the new actor for Pippin, suggesting that the story is a play within a play. This introduction also suggests that the story has been performed before. By the end of the show, the audience is left wondering what happened to the previous actors who played Pippin, or if Pippin is even aware that everything around him is scripted.
The Leading Player directs Pippin's actions even when he is not aware of it. The players all have their parts and they are meant to lead Pippin to his desired extraordinary life. He wants to find his "corner of the sky." He tries to find glory in battle when his father, King Charlemagne, goes to war with the Visigoths. The players become excited in the frenzy of war, but Pippin grew bored with the charade of battle. Later the Leading Player suggests that Pippin should overthrow King Charlemagne's tyrannical government. Pippin follows the direction and ends up killing his father. He becomes king at the end of Act 1 and sings "Morning Glow," celebrating the dawn of his success.
Pippin's turn as king proved to be more difficult than he thought. He wanted to change the world and discontinue his father's tyrannical rule. He realized that no one can change society to make everyone happy, and asks the Leading Player to resurrect Charlemagne. After his failed leadership, Pippin feels directionless until the Leading Player directs him on another course. These courses, too fail and Pippin falls into despair.
When Pippin is collapsed into despair, a widowed farmer named Catherine and her son Theo find him and bring him to their home. The Leading Player is very displeased with the actress who plays Catherine. Her acting ability was questionable and she missed her entrance cue. The Leading Player also fears that Catherine is actually attracted to Pippin. She is supposed to be a player and follow her script. When Pippin leaves after their brief affair, Catherine sings a song lamenting her lost love. The Leading Player is furious that Catherine put a song where there was not supposed to be one.
All of Pippin's actions have been leading up to his grand finale. The Leading Player repeatedly assured the audience that it would be unforgettable. An extraordinary life must have an extraordinary ending. The finale of "Pippin" is incredibly disturbing as the Leading Player and the troupe suggest that Pippin jumps off of a trapeze into a pit of fire. It is to be the sunset of his life. He initially hesitates before giving in to the luring of the troupe. They raise him up on a trapeze as the finale reaches its climax. They shout a mocking and twisted reprise of Pippin's song "Corner of the Sky" as he braces himself to jump. Catherine and Theo convince Pippin to come down as he realizes that he was only ever happy in their company. The three defy the script and the troupe. The Leading Player becomes furious and calls off the show, and yells to Pippin, "You try singin' without any music, sweetheart!" and storms off the stage. The music, lights, and splendor of the show are gone. Pippin, Catherine, and Theo are left on a dim, empty stage and humbly walk off together.
In the revival production, Theo stays on stage alone and starts to sing "Corner of the Sky" and the rising music behind him suggests that he will next take on the role of Pippin. Perhaps the previous actors that played Pippin listened to the troupe and jumped into the pit of fire. The story would be able to be recycled after the death of each Pippin, and maybe Theo was chosen to be the next Pippin was because Catherine had failed to please the Leading Player. The players' facade of excitement only pushes the darkness in the story as they habitually control and destroy lives in a false blaze of glory.
