As my children, ages 5, 7 and 9, were treated to a performance of Seattle Children’s Theatre’s Pippi Longstocking: The Family Musical, I found them on the edge of their seats, engaged in full-belly laughter with tears of joy, wild cheering and clapping.
There is never a lull in the action of this joyous, delightful production. Even a slightly jaded grown-up, who has seen their share of children’s theater, will be happily engaged to the very end. Rollicking slapstick, witty humor and physical comedy is enjoyed by children and adults alike.
Seattle Children’s Theatre and director Rita Giomi expertly draw the iconic Pippi Longstocking out of the beloved books of author Astrid Lindgren. Pippi, played by Molli Corcoran, easily transforms into the girl we have all imagined her to be. Her high energy, quirky costumes and signature red braids endear her to the audience immediately.
Photo credit: Chris Bennion
Pippi’s friend Annika, played by Stephanie Kim, and Tommy, played by the hilarious Adam Stanley, who can bring a crowd to laughter just by arching his eyebrows, are the calm to Pippi’s storm of hilarity. The entire cast of characters entertains the audience not only with their singing talent, but with their comedic talent as well. They execute feats of physical humor that include Pippi’s wrestling match with the Mighty Adolf at the circus, her struggles to elude Constables Cling and Clang, and her complete disruption of a school classroom and formal tea party.
The live actors share the stage with furry friends, too. While Pippi’s mother is an angel in heaven, and her father a pirate sailing the seas, Pippi shares her “Villa Villekulla” home with Mr. Nilsson, the monkey, and a horse. These animals are realistically portrayed by puppets. As the horse’s head bobbed and his ears twitched, I wondered how many children believed that he was real.
Also adding to the realistic and warm feel of the performance are the sets and costumes. Set designer Jennifer Lupton was inspired by the folk art and wood carving of Pippi’s home country of Sweden. The charming costumes by Catherine Hunt, drawn from the 1950s, are a mix of Swedish patterns and design. The jewels and sparkles on the ladies’ costumes dazzled and impressed my daughter.
Throughout the play we are shown that Pippi is not only physically strong, but mentally and emotionally strong as well. Because of her cheerfulness, you root for her … even if she is naughty. And naughty is an understatement! Before we left for the theater, I talked to my children about how to behave and reminded them of their manners. This was all fresh in their minds as they watched with delight as Pippi put on a display of the worst manners imaginable.
As Pippi plunged her face into a cake, swung from a chandelier (literally!) and placed a whoopie cushion on Mrs. Prysselius’s chair, my children laughed so hard they had tears in their eyes. The young audience watched with awe and joy to see their fantasies of misbehavior played out on stage. They clapped and cheered for Pippi.
It is no wonder that Lindgren’s character worried parents and teachers. The author, who was famously photographed sticking out her tongue, had this to say to the critics of her books, “All I dare hope for is that they may contribute a little bit towards a humane and democratic view of the world in the children who read them.”
Kids can learn a thing or two during the play. The message we took away from Pippi Longstocking is one of the importance of friendship, and the courage to stand up for your beliefs. These are all valuable lessons for school-aged children. Pippi is a loyal and true friend, even if she has unconventional ways of dealing with situations.
It’s not necessary to read the book before you see the play, although it may be more enjoyable for kids to become familiar with the characters before seeing them on stage. You will most likely leave the theater wanting more of Pippi Longstocking. Luckily, Lindgren has other Pippi books for you to read. You may also find yourself humming one of the musical numbers in the show and wishing there was a recorded soundtrack to listen to at home.
The only problem I faced with taking my three children to the opening night performance was, do I tell them to laugh politely, or let them just belt it out, even if they fall out of their seats? Pippi inspired me to let them be loud, and I joyously joined them.
